Marathon Training: The End

I always imagined that my marathon experience would end with me triumphantly crossing the finish line. Instead, it ended unceremoniously a few weeks ago when a long run became a very short run because of some knee pain. When I got back from my trip, my knees were feeling quite a bit better. But, I couldn’t, in good conscience, keep going with my long runs and risk permanent damage to my knees. (Because, after having them my whole life, I’ve grown rather fond of them.) So, I quit marathon training before my knees could quit on me. Thankfully, I have a wonderful family that supported me with the crazy idea to train for the marathon in the first place, and they have been equally supportive when I decided to stop. I’m so very lucky. I am a bit bummed about not being able to do the marathon, but I know in my heart that I am making the right decision. And I am still so glad that I did the marathon training, even with knowing how it ended. My goal, in starting it, was to prove to myself that anything is possible, and there’s no way I could deny achieving that! Before I started this, I could barely run 2 miles, yet somehow I made it to 16 miles - twice! Every mile was a victory, and it made me realize that we can do so much more than we think we can. I know that this lesson from marathon training will impact other aspects of my life. Marathon training has proved to me that the challenges or goals in my life that once seemed impossible are actually in reach. I only hope that my experience has inspired someone else along the way to run after their big dream, no matter how difficult or crazy it seems. I can’t wait to dream more big dreams. (My knees just hope that the next ones don’t include them.)

Marathon Training! Week 20

So here’s my overly-obvious fact of the week: knees are really important for running. My knees have been a little sore on my last few runs. The pain wasn’t that bad, yet I knew that things weren’t quite right. I tried to take it easy on my runs, running slower and less often than I usually do. This morning I woke up early for my long run, but I knew that the 18 miles I was hoping for was probably a long shot. Within the first few minutes of running, I felt the knee pain again. I took it really slow, and I ended up running 4 miles at my slowest pace yet. I made it back home, ready to drink some water and figure out my next move. I wanted to keep going, but I knew it probably wasn’t the best thing for my knees. Thankfully, the voice of reason (disguised as Husband) intervened. I asked for his advice, and he said I should definitely take a break from running. He said something clever about pain being the body’s way of saying “stop!” (Or, in the case of my knees, “stop running, you crazy marathon trainee! You’re making us miserable!”) This was actually the scenario that I worried about yesterday. I worried what would happen if I couldn’t finish the 18 miles. But, I am surprisingly calm about everything today. I’ve accepted that I can’t wave a magic wand to make my knees better. (But, if you do happen to have such a wand, please let me know, so I can borrow it.) All I can do is to relax my knees and hope and pray. I’m realizing now that my trip with my mom is actually happening at a perfect time. That will force me to not run for a couple weeks, which is probably just what I need to heal. I have no idea where this will leave me with the marathon itself. I just keep reminding myself of the goal that I made when I signed up for this: My goal was to complete the marathon (not in any specific time), but only if it wouldn’t do any physical damage to my body. I’m hopeful that things will all work out. And I guess I just have a much better excuse for eating good food and relaxing with my mom on our trip – it’s all for the sake of my knees!

Marathon Training! Weeks 18 and 19

Now that it's October, I can actually say that the marathon is "next month." I’ve realized that I have only a few more long runs left before the marathon itself! It’s exciting to finally see the light (or the finish line?) at the end of the tunnel. My long runs the past couple weeks have gone much better. For a variety of reasons, I ended up running my long run last week (of 16 miles!) at the gym on base. I figured that no one would notice that I was running for so long, since most (normal, sane) people do not spend nearly 3 hours at the gym. One of the workers noticed, though. After I finished running, he asked, “How long was that run? 5 miles?” I told him that it was 16 miles and that I was training for a marathon. For a few seconds, he just shook his head and kept repeating “wow, 16 miles.” I almost felt the same disbelief, too. This week I hope to run 18 miles for my long run. It will be my last long run for a few weeks because I’m going on a trip with my mom next week. And although I’m committed to running, I’m also committed to having a great time with my mom on a trip we’ve planned for a long time. So my running shoes will have a break of their own, relaxing in my closet while I’m gone. *** Since I’ve been running so much, I hardly ever go for walks anymore. But Husband and I decided, on a whim, to go for an evening stroll together around our neighborhood on Saturday night. The weather was perfect, and it was so pleasant to casually walk and admire the homes. We saw another couple that we knew, as well as a gorgeous sunset. I enjoyed it so much, and it made me miss the walks I used to take before I started marathon training. I do hope to do much more walking, once the marathon is over. I don’t think I’ll give up running altogether. But I probably won’t be running 16 miles…at the gym, or anywhere else.

Marathon Training! Weeks 16 and 17

It’s probably a good thing I didn’t write this post on Friday. If I had, it probably would have been a rambling mess, saying that I hated marathon training and I was quitting it altogether. On that day, I had a really bad run. It was supposed to be a long run of 12 miles, but for a variety of reasons, I made it (barely!) to only 7 miles. Afterwards, I told Husband that I hated running and I was going to quit the marathon. He called my bluff. He didn’t overreact. Instead, he gently and patiently asked, “How would you feel if you quit?” I told him that I would feel very disappointed, especially since I’ve worked so hard for almost a year to get to this point! He smiled and said, “Well, I guess it sounds like you’re not quitting.” Darn! He is a clever one, and he tricked me without me even knowing it. But, I’m glad I decided to keep going. I’ve realized that not every run is going to be a good one, but the important thing is that I keep trying. Yesterday I ran a 3-mile run, and it turns out that it was my fastest run ever! I would have never experienced that if I had quit last week. I know I have a lot more challenges (and a few lingering doubts) to conquer in the weeks ahead, but I know I have the determination to keep going. And if there’s ever another time when I’m close to losing hope, I’ll have a clever coach by my side to ask me, “How would you feel if you quit?”

Marathon Training! Weeks 14 and 15

My training is starting to feel like it’s gone on forever! Truthfully, I think I actually started my training a little bit too early, since the marathon isn’t until mid-November. But, I’m taking advantage of the extra time and scaling back my long runs a bit, so I don’t burn myself out before the big race day. Last week wasn’t so bad, but this week was tough. Specifically, my long run yesterday was really hard. My neighbor, a fellow military spouse and runner, is also training for the same marathon. We haven’t run together much - she usually runs in the evenings when her husband is home to watch the kids, and I usually run early in the morning. My friend is really sweet, and she must also be very persuasive, too, because somehow she managed to convince me that it would be fun to run 10 miles on a track! (That’s 40 laps! On a track!) We drove to base yesterday morning, and we started out on our run. The first few miles weren’t bad, and we’d stop every few miles to drink Gatorade and take a few bites of bananas. My friend runs faster than I do, but somehow I managed to stay on pace with her. Then the sun started beating down on us, and those last few miles were torturous. It was so hot that I felt like I was running with a wool blanket wrapped around me! I had a running dialogue (no pun intended) with myself trying to figure out a way to stop running without looking like a quitter in front of my friend. Finally, after running 9.5 miles, with two laps to go and little strength left, I told her I was going to walk. I came home with blisters on my feet and my spirit defeated. I started to question why I wanted to do this marathon in the first place. I cried to Husband that I felt like an imposter and a fool for thinking that I could take my non-athletic self and run a marathon! Thankfully, he made me feel much better. I’ve learned that this training – just like anything else – will have its up and downs. I’ve learned that I shouldn’t compare myself to others. I’ve learned that I shouldn’t lament that I’m not a natural athlete, but I should be proud that I’m trying to run anyway. And finally, I’ve learned that, no matter what, the track is just not my friend! I’ll stick to running through my neighborhood instead.

Marathon Training! Week 13

This past week was a “rest” week. I still ran, but just 3-4 miles at a time. The highlight of the week, by far, was seeing a gorgeous rainbow on one run. It extended completely across the sky, in a perfect arch. (I only wish I had a picture of it, but I know I’m not talented enough to run and carry a camera.) I felt thankful because, in addition to giving me better health and an excuse to eat large amounts of food, marathon training has allowed me to see some of the most gorgeous scenes outside. At this point, I feel very content with my marathon training. Though I had (quite!) a few doubts before I started, I’m so glad that I decided to do this. It has challenged me in so many ways, yet it has brought me joy and surprises. I know that there will be many more challenges on this journey. But hopefully there will also be many more times that I can appreciate the view – and maybe a rainbow – along the way.

Marathon Training! Week 12

The Olympics have been such an inspiration this week. Watching these athletes following their dreams – while breaking records and earning medals – definitely raises my spirits. My long run was 16 miles this week. While it was anything but Olympic worthy, I’m proud because: 1) I didn’t trip anytime during the run (although I did drop my poor MP3 player), and 2) it was my longest run ever. Oh, and even though I may never see my picture on a box of Wheaties, I’ll always have this:

It’s actually more fitting anyway because I think a wholesome, sugary cereal is better than say, a wholesome cereal. I had never seen it before this week, and I told Husband about it. He told me that he's bought it before, and he said, “I love that cereal!” He obviously has very good taste.

Marathon Training! Weeks 10 and 11

I’m still training for my marathon. But, it probably didn’t look like it two weeks ago (week 10). I spent my time with my family doing everything but running. I actually planned to take that week as a break (although I did do 2 short runs before we left). I don’t regret it one bit. Since our military life doesn’t always let us visit our family as often as we’d like, I wanted to soak up every second spending time with them and not worrying about running. Plus, I think the break gave some much-needed rest to my weary legs. I ran last week (week 11) as a normal week. Husband went on a military trip (“TDY” in military speak) for a training conference, and I got to go with him. I ended up doing my runs on the treadmill in the small hotel fitness center. I figured that was easier than trying to become running buddies with death on the busy highways near our hotel. My longest run last week was 14 miles - on a treadmill! I’m almost prouder that I was able to survive the boredom of the treadmill more than just completing that distance. There was no one else in the fitness center the entire time. There was a TV, but it was angled in a way that would have ensured me falling off if I tried to watch it. And, I was forced to stare at a goofy girl during the whole run. Actually, there was a mirror in front of me, but the goofy girl part is still true. On the positive side, I didn’t have to worry about running routes, sunscreen, carrying water, avoiding stray dogs, or the heat. Though the treadmill definitely was boring, it turned out to be better than I thought. In fact, this whole marathon thing is turning out better than I thought. (I’ll try to remind myself of that when I’m running my 15-mile run (!) this week.)

Marathon Training! Week 9

What does the end result of running 13 miles look like?

For me, it looks something like this:



Husband surprised me with flowers as a “congrats for running a half-marathon and finishing your Master’s degree this week.”

It’s a much better gift than I gave myself after the run: blisters. (I’m definitely not posting a picture of that one.)

Marathon Training! Week 8

I figured out a good conversation stopper this week. When someone asks at a lunch about your running, just say “Oh, my long run this week was only 6 miles.” Then prepare for all other conversations to stop and all eyes to stare at you in disbelief. I guess it’s proof that I’m really getting into my marathon training. This was considered a “rest week” in the training schedule to give my body a little break before ramping up again next week. Next week the long run, is, um, 13 miles or so. But truthfully, my immediate focus is more on the marathon test-taking session I have next week. I take the final exams for my last 2 Master’s classes, in a one-day, six-hour ordeal. But then, assuming I’ve passed my classes and exams, I will be done with my Master’s! It still doesn't seem real, but I'll gladly take it.

Marathon Training! Week 7

I’ve mentioned before that running has brought me so much already, like more confidence and more hope. (In addition to more laundry.) But this week it brought me a healthy dose of gratitude. I usually pass at least one other runner on my runs, and we usually smile and exchange a quick wave. This week I passed one man and exchanged the normal wave, but I couldn’t help but notice that he had only one arm. It reminded me that it takes courage for anyone to run (or walk or exercise), but it probably took even more courage for him. And it made me realize how lucky I am. I am usually quick to be thankful for my family, friends, and overall good health. But how often am I specifically grateful for my arms? The arms that let me hug Husband, that let me type out a blog post, that let me hold a book to read, that let me cook a meal, that let me do the thousands of other things I do. And, in just a few seconds of seeing this man, I felt a wave of gratitude for all that I have – arms and all. *** Marathon training is getting quite a bit harder. I ran 12 miles yesterday, which left me totally exhausted in a way I had never experienced. Afterwards, I hobbled around the house like an old lady, making slow and deliberate movements as to not aggravate my already tired legs. I’ve also sadly realized what “chaffing” is. I’ll spare the details, but I’ll just say that it’s not so fun. On the positive side, I made up for the lost calories indulging in hamburgers and fries. And I’ve eaten enough chocolate cookie dough ice cream in the past couple weeks to call myself a connoisseur. (My favorite is Blue Bell, closely followed by Ben & Jerry’s, and then Dreyer’s.) See? Marathon training isn’t so bad after all.

Marathon Training! Week 6

Happy belated 4th of July. And a very happy Cinco de Julio while we’re at it. (I guess it doesn’t have the same ring as Cinco de Mayo...) Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that this week in my training focused a lot on safety after the dog incident. I did some very unscientific research about safety during running, and here are some of the suggestions I heard/read: - Husband, only half-joking, suggested I carry a shotgun. Or a knife. But then he proposed the more realistic option of carrying mace. - My mom told me about a lady that she knows that walks with a golf club. (I can only imagine how funny that conversation might sound for me at a golf store. Clerk: “Oh, so you’re taking up golfing? Me: “Nope, running.”) - I read about a man that carries a small baton to shoo away any dogs that approach him. - On a few runner’s forums, some suggested carrying mace or pepper spray. Others echoed the recommendation of being assertive and telling the dog in a loud voice to “go home” or “get away.” I’m going to look into the mace option, assuming there’s a type that’s small and that can clip to my Camelback. But, it makes me laugh because I never thought that I would end up with so much running gear! I wear sunscreen. I wear sunglasses. I (sometimes) wear a hat. I wear an athletic watch. I wear special running socks to protect my feet. My parents gave me a Camelback as a gift (so I wouldn’t get dehydrated), and I wear that for long runs. I also carry a cell phone (on the inside pocket of the Camelback) in case I get injured or run into problems. I also put that cell phone in a plastic bag to protect it from getting wet. I carry a house key tied to my shoelace. And now I’m thinking of carrying mace? I joked with Husband that if I get any more gear, I won’t be able to carry it all and the only solution would be to bring it in a car. And then I won’t be running, I’ll be driving.

How a run almost turned me into dog food

I thought I looked like a runner on my morning run today, but maybe I looked more like a bag of Alpo in running shoes. I was about 10 minutes into my run, when I suddenly realized that 3 very large dogs were running right towards me with no owner in sight. These dogs were pretty scary, and my first instinct was to pull my arms into my chest. But, I immediately thought of Cesar Millan and his advice about being an assertive pack leader. So, instead of cowering, I continued running and confidently put my arm out, while saying in a firm voice, “Get back! Get back!” It worked. The dogs stopped chasing me. I felt relieved. (And also vindicated that all my hours of watching the Dog Whisperer finally paid off!) I continued on my run, and I didn’t think much of the incident until on the way back. I passed a lady (also in running gear) and a man talking to a police car. They motioned to me to come over. “You might not want to run up that way,” the lady said, pointing to the area where I passed earlier in my run. “There’s a pack of stray pit bulls, and they look dangerous. The police are looking into it.” I gulped. They were pit bulls?? Thank goodness I wasn’t smart enough to realize that when I saw them. I would have been anything but “calm and assertive,” and I would have braced myself for the bites. (Because let’s face it, marathon training or not, I’m not going to outrun a pack of pit bulls.) Once we found out the street was clear, the lady and I walked back together, and it turns out that she’s a neighbor on our street. I enjoyed our conversation, and it was nice to make a new friend. I’m grateful that everything turned out ok. But, I’m not taking any chances next time. I’m going to start running with tranquilizer - not for the dogs, but for me.

Marathon Training! Week 5

Today I ran 9 miles! It’s my longest run ever. (I guess every long run from now on, including the marathon itself, will be my longest run ever. It sounds very dramatic, yet it’s true.) I was so jazzed that I ran the 9 miles (especially after a few small doubts last night) that I e-mailed my mom about it this morning. It went something like this… “I ran 9 MILES! That’s OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF of running!” I’m sure she would agree that accomplishing a 9-mile run calls for the use of all caps. After all, we both still remember when I decided to join the military how the thought of the 2-mile run brought me to tears. My running experiences at that point consisted of: 1) tripping and nearly falling off a treadmill in a crowded base gym, 2) throwing up after a run at the track in front of a group of people I had just met, and 3) throwing up before a timed run out of sheer nerves. I try to remember these experiences sometimes. Not because I enjoy recalling my most embarrassing moments, but because it reminds me that I’ve come a long way. And it reminds me that anything is possible. Even training for a marathon. For a once-hopeless non-runner like me. So I’m taking this hope and running - literally.

A Speedy 5K

My neighbor and I went to base on Saturday to run a 5K. I was so fast on this one that I got pulled over by the cops. That’s not the punch line to a bad joke. I really did get pulled over by the cops. I drove onto base when, not more than two minutes later, red and blue flashing lights greeted me in my rearview mirror. I thought it was a misunderstanding because the speed limit was 30 mph, and clearly I was going less than that. But apparently, I was a dangerous menace to the entire military installation and to US national security by going “26 mph in a 15 mph zone.” I could have disputed that there was no sign saying that it was a 15 mph zone. Instead, I gave him the requested items (my military ID, driver’s license, registration, and insurance) as well as a pitiful look, and prayed he wouldn’t give me a ticket. He didn’t. (Phew!) We still made it in time to start the 5K. The race itself was fun, and we made a couple new friends afterwards. Sadly, I didn’t go as fast during the race as I did on the drive to the race, or else I would have gotten a t-shirt instead of just a potential ticket and a somewhat entertaining story.

Marathon Training! Week 4

The title of this post could also be “longer running times than my favorite TV shows,” “spending more time running than cleaning,” or “using running as an excuse to talk about sea turtles and Hawaii.” (You’ll see…) I’m now measuring my long runs in hours, not minutes. It started last week when I passed the hour mark, running my longest run at that point: 6 miles. This week my long run was over an hour. (Actually, 1 hour and 17 minutes, but who’s counting?) It was a tad over 7 miles, and my longest run to date. So, some days I’m putting more miles on my legs than on my car! I’d take myself in for an oil change, but I’m scared to know what that might involve. Regardless, as my mileage is increasing, so is my confidence. I tell myself each week that I have to run only a few more minutes than last week, which is true. And by pushing myself, slowly and steadily, I will somehow finish the race, just like the turtle in the old tale. Speaking of turtles, below is a video of a sea turtle that we saw on the beach in Hawaii. Yes, this might be a shameless excuse to talk about something Hawaii-related, but I’m posting it now because I’m not sure when the subject of turtles will come up on my blog again. (Probably not anytime soon, unless turtles suddenly started eating our landscaping.)

Oh, and though the video doesn’t show it, the turtle eventually made it back to the water. My little camera didn’t have enough memory to film the whole thing. I guess the lesson for all of us is that we, too, can slowly make it towards our goals. The other lesson for me, specifically, is that I should buy a larger memory card before going back to Hawaii.

Marathon Training! Week 3

Here’s what running has brought me so far, more or less: - I have much more blog material. - I have much more laundry to do with an extra 4 days of workout clothes per week to wash. - Right after I run, I feel like I have much more energy. - However, sometimes later in the afternoon, I feel like I have less energy. In fact, I’m seeing less of the movies we watch. [True story: I fell asleep during the movie “Don’t Mess with the Zohan” last Sunday afternoon, and Husband nudged me to wake up. What I wanted to tell him was that I should go back to sleep because 1) the movie cost only $3, and 2) it wasn’t that great of a movie. But, I ate some Mike and Ikes and managed to stay awake.] - I have much more confidence in myself. (Though I might have slightly less confidence in our movie selections after Sunday’s pick.) ----------- Happy running thought: I have 39 miles and 11 days of running under my belt in my training program. Sad running thought: It took 8 days of running just to add up to one single marathon. Yikes!

Marathon Training! Week 2

Forgive the exclamation point in the title. It’s because I’m still suffering from a bit of disbelief (and a lot of excitement) that I’m actually training for a marathon. This second week of training went surprisingly well. In fact, I actually feel a little more hopeful about the coming months. But, there’s one strange thing I’ve noticed this week. Some other girl has taken over my body, and she’s doing things I’ve never done. 1) She sets her alarm for a ridiculously early time, and then she actually gets up at that time…and runs! 2) Somehow she doesn’t complain (yet) about either thing in #1. 3) She’s made a full conversion to running, as if it was a new-found church, proclaiming its virtues to other would-be runners and asking them to join her on Sunday for runs. 4) She gets up early! To run! (Ok, I realize that was covered in #1, but I just had to emphasize that again.) 5) She includes casual remarks like “it was only a 4-mile run” in her everyday conversation. Ok, I’m done talking about myself in the third person. But, I was thinking about this running thing today (not surprisingly, while I was running), and I was struck by how much more I’ve done already than I ever thought I could. So, I thought (in a good way) – who is this girl?? Don’t worry, though. This new girl still eats her fair share of dark chocolate M&Ms and still worries about her Master’s exams. Proof that everything is still right in the world.

Ah, memories

At first I couldn’t get the memories of Hawaii out of my head, but now apparently I can’t get them off of my feet either. I came back from a run, took off my socks and shoes, and slowly stretched my tired legs. But what is that on my feet? It looks like some sort of sand. I retraced my running route in my mind. Did I run near a construction site? Was there dust or sand on the sidewalk? Then I remembered that I ran exactly once on our vacation in Maui. And sure enough, it looks exactly like Maui sand. Too bad that my running shoes aren’t ruby slippers that can transport me back to Hawaii. But, lucky for me, I already believe that there’s no place like home, and I’ve found it here.

Marathon Training! Week 1

Ok, so this is the third time I’m writing this post about the first week of my official marathon training. The first post was overly positive (Training is great! I’m following my dreams!), while the second was overly negative (I’m out of shape after Hawaii! It’s crazy hot here!). The reality probably lies somewhere in between. It’s true that I’m excited to be actually taking the steps – literally – towards a challenging goal. It’s also true that it’s just plain hard, and I’m having to let go of my previous, unrealistic expectations. [And, it’s just as true that it’s insanely hot here, which will require me to make friends with even earlier morning runs and treadmills in air-conditioned gyms.] I’m really trying to take everything for what it is. One bad run doesn’t mean I’m going to fail, just like one good run doesn’t mean I’ll automatically succeed. It sounds cliché, but there’s so much wisdom in saying to take it one step at a time. So here I start with a few small, but significant steps. And I’ll rejoice not because I’m breezing through the steps, but because I somehow found the courage to take the steps at all.