7 miles (more than 1/4 a marathon!) – Meghan July 28, 2008

Hi everyone! Sorry that I have not posted in a few days. I have been pretty busy with studying, working on a presentation, and working on residency application stuff. I have been keeping up with my runs though! I’m in a great mood tonight because I just finished my 7 mile run! It is amazing to think that we are more than a quarter of the way there! I ran outside and it was such a pleasant run. Great temperature, not humid, no blazing sun. I think I might try night runs from now on. So this is the week that we have decided to hold at (3 miles, 4 miles, 3 miles, 7 miles = 17 miles/wk). I think that is a manageable number of miles to hold at. It was nice to hear Kirsten’s reasons for why she wants to run this marathon and I actually have most of the same reasons. I feel so proud when I tell people I am running a marathon and remembering that feeling helps during those last 10 minutes or so when all you want is the run to be over. I also am personally looking forward to a weekend in Arizona during the Columbus winter, another source of motivation for me Well, I need to get to bed. I have a rough week ahead of me with a radiology presentation, radiology test, and then my BIG IMPORTANT boards on Saturday. Where am I going to fit running into this? Actually, I am looking forward to using my runs as a study break! Week 3 done!! Wahoo! Congrats guys!

A quote book… July 25, 2008

Ok, Nick and his brother are playing Wii and I am reading about running (story of my life!) and I had another idea..so lets say some days we just don’t have much to say…lets post a quote for each other. Something you read or found online that really stood out to you for that day…here is my first one for you guys!

“There are people who have no bodies, only heads.  And many athletes have no heads, only bodies.  A champion is a man who has trained his body and his mind, who has learned to conquer pain for his own purposes. A great athlete is at peace with himself and at peace with the world; he has fulfilled himself.  He envies nobody.  Wars are caused by people who have not fulfilled themselves.”

The Why’s… July 25, 2008

Two days ago while driving back from the gym, I told Nick that I felt so far from our goal and that at this point it seemed like I was reaching for the impossible. He then looked at me and asked me why I am doing this training. I told him a few reasons, and he suggested that I write them down and at moments of feeling discouraged, go back and read them. Well what better place to do it then here on our blog. He told me a few of his friends wrote a page about why they were enrolling in medical school so in moments of uncertainty they could remind them self of why…

I realized in that moment I had not taken enough time to think about the whys…aside from the obvious love I have for food. So I am writing my why, and will use this as motivation for myself. I am running this marathon to satisfy a personal goal. In a sense I want to learn how to train my mind, because I think having power over your mind is a powerful tool to use in all aspects of life. I have always struggled with the fact that many times in my life I have given up on things when they got too hard; but now I am ready to push myself in a way I don’t think I ever have. I am running this marathon to feel good physically and mentally; starting the day with a run, for me, is the most fulfilling. I am happier when I run and stay active. I am running this marathon for the reaction I get from others and the fact that I have always wanted to say I ran a marathon. If a 65 year old man can run one a year after a heart attack, a 24 year old can push her body to the same level. I running this because I am a goal setter and I cannot wait for the satisfaction I will feel of fulfilling and reaching a goal of mine. I am running this for all the cliches I have written about…this is for me…this is something I can call my own, and that I am finishing by myself, even though I running this with two awesome people. I am running this marathon for Meghan and Silvia, because if I somehow keep you all going the way you keep me going, I can’t back down…

So thank you for anyone who reads this, because seeing that someone else cares about this marathon makes it easier to push through the hard days.

Twenty Six…point two July 25, 2008

Have you ever really and truly thought about how far 26.2 miles would take you? Yesterday, while driving from Lexington up to Cleveland with Nick’s family, I not only witnessed what 26.2 miles looks like, mile post by mile post, I drove the entire distance in the car. I told Nick as we exited onto 271 that from this point to our exit in Shaker would be the distance of our marahon. Thanks to the nicely green posted mile markers, I watched each mile tick by until we reached the 26 mile marker. I felt so many emotions all in that 30 minutes of driving (yes, 30 minutes in the car, which you can only imagine it at a runners speed!); I felt motivated thinking about the feeling we will have after completing the run. I felt completely overwhemled and questioned myself and the probability of finshining. I have still not decided whether or not it was smart to sit there and take in the true distance; I mean sure on a tredmill you really arn’t able to comprehend the total distance, but driving it put it all in my mind. I ran 4 miles on Wednesday, and it was O.K. and yesterday Nick and I woke up early before the drive and I ran my 3 miles. We got to see Meghan for lunch on our way to Cleveland and it was nice seeing her and reminding myself even though I feel alone in the moments I am running and pushing through the challeneges, we are all in fact in this together. Meghan is without a doubt more ready for this training than I feel, but I will carry on. I think Meg had a good idea to hold our training at this week, and not one near the middle that is far more intense. I love my gym by the way!! I am so excited to find some classes I love and go on my off days to strength train. yay!!! Where you are you guys by the way? I am sending you both a little motivation in the mail, so look for it within the next few weeks!

6 miles-Kirsten July 22, 2008

Yesterday I woke up so excited to go to the gym. It has been over a year since I belonged to one. So Nick and I woke up around 9:00 and I had my mind set on 6 miles on the tredmill. I felt I failed on Sunday; walked 3, ran 3. So I needed to prove to myself I could do it. After running the 5 miler race I thought 6 might not be TOO bad, but it was hard second attempt around. I did it; I stopped running for a minute to get a drink (I can’t run and drink, I will look like a fool!) and otherwise totaled 6.1 miles. However, it was hard!!! The whole time I wanted to just stop and at least get on a different machine. I looked around, and not only was I the only one running, everyone who started on the tredmill when I did had long cleared out. It got me to thinking…am I crazy? Is there a reason why I am the only one running, sweating, being tortured? Well, the after feeling of running 6 miles was great. I felt good and strong, and can honestly say you forget the pain. You forget feeling heavy, you forget the desire to stop, you forget the dripping sweat and red face. While running I told myself, just one foot in front of the other…

So I feel I sort of redeemed myself but doing 6 miles on Monday. Today is my rest day, and while I am tempted to go the gym, I think I might actually just take the day off and rest. Maybe I will go in the evening…right now I am just so content staying in my PJS and eating a bowl of icecream…ok I will hold off on the icecream until a more decent hour. This training is going to be HARD…I mean I realize that just because I ran 5 miles two weeks ago with ease (ok, not ease, but it wasn’t torture) doesn’t mean my 6 mile run will be any easier. I wonder if in three weeks 6 miles might feel easy? Nick has started running a mile a day; and he says he has no idea how I run 6, let alone 26. Which I of course added in that it is 26.2, can’t forget that .2 PEOPLE!!!! I really think the last 6 are just going to kill us in the race. What if I hit the wall before the 20 mile mark like they say? So many things I won’t know until I get to that day, in that moment. And while everything will be spinning around me, I will remember one foot in front of the other…it’s the only way! I miss you guys…I wish we were training closer, but we are going to do this!!!

6 miles – Silvia July 21, 2008

This morning I woke up not wanting to do anything except drink coffee and look at our garden which is overflowing with blossoms. It looks like an artist took his paint colors and strewed them over our backyard. Alas, Yoga starts at 8:15 and I need the stretching. It felt good to stretch, difficult but good. It’s like my body was saying thank you, thank you. I remember when I was in middle school, I could have done all the poses easily, but now, I feel like an 80 year old woman trying to contort her body into simple poses like downward and upward dog. My favorite part is the end, the last five minutes are spent in the Savasana pose, which is a fancy yoga word for lying down on your back with your eyes closed just breathing. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Bliss.

After that I did my “Power Flex” workout, which is 45 minutes of strength training using barbells and weights. I read that strength training is important for runners. I have been doing it since April, and I like it. Probably because there’s loud music and an instructor telling me what to do. I love not being alone with my thoughts. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I don’t like relying on me. I am too weak.

After that I was done. I was at the gym two hours already and wanted just to go shopping for my mom (I am going to Canada to visit and there’s stuff here she can’t buy as cheaply over there. For example,  there’s a tube of toothpaste at Trader Joe’s for 1.99 here and in Canada, it’s close to 6.00. No kidding. Keep in mind the dollar is basically at par. So there is no reason for the prices to be so much higher, but they are. I digress.)  So, I figure I would go shopping, go home and grout. (The stupid stairs are still not done! I figured out the secret to tiling stairs; pay someone to do it!) Then later this evening I would go back and run my six miles. I leave the gym, go shopping and was about to go on the highway headed for home, when I thought, who am I kidding. I won’t  go back to the gym. I will get sidetracked for sure, and progressively more lazy as the day wears on. So, like a good girl, I went back to the gym, hopped on the treadmill and began slogging the long, slow, six miles. I actually did 6.2, so it’s like a 10K.

Unlike, Meghan, I did not feel I could do more. I think that her body is just more conditioned. She has a great base with being a regular 5 mile runner. I am still in the process of building up my base. There is a reason that ‘they’ say that you should have been running for 8-10 weeks before you start training. I feel that I am not conditioned enough to make the training easy.

Today’s problem was sweat. Yes, I was in AC but I was soaked. I sweat a lot. I don’t perspire, or have a healthy glow. I sweat like a monsoon after the dry season in the Serengeti. That’s just me. I always have, even as a kid. I start sweating on my nose and then every other place that there is a pore in my body. I think that’s why I can’t keep those ear phones in my ear, the sweat slides them out. I sweat so much that when I run the marathon in Arizona I bet the desert will turn into a tropical rain forest. Anyway, what happened was that I began to sweat in my feet. I felt them get hot and sweaty. Then my toes began to rub together. You know what that causes. Blisters. Ouch. My feet burned. I just kept thinking, run through the pain, run through the pain. If I can’t run 6, how will I run 26.2? (Don’t forget the 0.2, that 0.2 will be so annoying by the end of the race, I just know it!)

Then my shirt got soaked. I mean soaked. So, you guessed it more rubbing. This time it was the bottom of my  bra strap and my skin. I felt it rubbing back and forth. I even tucked in my T-shirt into the strap   ( I didn’t care what I looked like, one look at my tomato red face tells anyone that I am not here to win any beauty contests) to provide a buffer, but the T-shirt kept coming out.  At last, after 58 minutes and 55 seconds, it was over. After my cool down walk, I got off the treadmill and couldn’t even walk properly on my feet they hurt so much. I had to walk on the sides of my feet. And my drenched shirt was just clinging to me. Luckily, I had sandals in the car and took my shoes and socks off to let my feet breathe. I wish I had those toe separators like when you get a pedicure.

When I finally got home, I struggled to take off my clothes. You know how hard it is to take off clothes after they are wet. I felt like I went swimming in salt water. When I had a looksie at where my bra was there was a huge red rash – like a rug burn. OUCH! The shower was painful. It burned when it hit my rash. After I couldn’t even put on a regular bra, so I had to hang free all day. Not comfortable at all for someone like me, I am not a woman of the Borneo rainforest. As I am typing this, it is still painful.

Nonetheless, week two is done. Hallelujah!

Just Joined a Gym – Kirsten July 20, 2008

I joined a gym today!!! Yeah!!! I can keep going with the training. I am going tomorrow morning with Nick. I am excited to do the classes too!

Ah, the beauty of AC – Meghan July 20, 2008

Yes, AC makes a huge difference! I did my 6 mile run yesterday inside because it was way too hot outside with a ridiculous humidity level. It was one of the best runs I have ever had! Despite the fact that it was longer than what I have been running, I felt like I could have kept going! It was very encouraging and I know that one of these days both of you will have a run like that! We can definitely kick this marathons butt! The difference between running inside with AC and running outside in the brutal heat was unbelievable! So, don’t get discouraged! It is harder for your body to cool itself off (particularly when its so humid because the sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly) so it makes running 10x harder.

On a different note, yesterday I gave in and bought myself a late birthday present. I bought a GPS watch so I can track my mileage, pace, etc! It was $150, but got amazing reviews and is incredibly accurate so I am really excited about it. I got the Garmin Forerunner 205. This means I can go out and run in unfamiliar places and not have to worry about tracking it on map my run.com. It will come in about a week so I will let you know how it works out!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

In need of support…-Kirsten July 20, 2008

I couldn’t run yesterday; with unpacking, cleaning, errands, and everything getting ready for Nick’s parents I had no time. However I did go today. And I could not finish the 6 miles. I had to stop half way and walk the rest back. The heat was ridiculous; I felt short of breathe and I was drenched after mile 1. So someone tell me that running in the AC makes it better. I am joining a gym tomorrow. I just can’t run in this heat anymore but I cannot stop training. I felt so bad for stopping but it was physically too draining to keep going. Yuck….

On a better note; I am eating a lot better and it feels really good. I only bought healthy things at the store yesterday, if I don’t buy it, I can’t eat it. Sorry so short, more later. I wish I had finished my run.

My Friend, Food – Silvia July 18, 2008

Did you ever have one of those days? Well I had one of those weeks. It’s not been a picnic and my answer to stress and anxiety is to call on Food.

Food has always been there for me. Friends come and go, but not Food. He’s always ready, waiting and willing to fulfill my heart’s desire. I celebrate with Food, cry with Food, get angry with Food, complain with Food. Food is always there to calm me down and make me feel happy. The problem with Food is that he has a trusty sidekick Blubber. The Lone Ranger had Tonto, Batman had Robin, and Gumby had Pokey. Whenever Food aids me through a crisis, adds to the joy of celebration or relieves me of my boredom, Blubber has to be there. He’s so annoying, Blubber. Food is long gone. But Blubber keeps hanging around. I mean Food is great; he comes; he goes. It was fun while he was around. Blubber never goes away. He’s like a guest that overstays his welcome; he’s so hard to get rid of – a free loader.

So, I have to come to terms with my relationship with Food. I can keep him as my best friend or just use him for survival. You know, eat when I’m hungry not when I’m needy. There’s a novel thought, eh? And just eat good Food. Not be influenced by bad Food. Why is it that women always go after the bad boys?

My run today was hard. The 3 miles went on and on. I watched the mileage numbers tick by, 2.34, 2.35, 2.36…It was like watching the clock on the last day of school before summer vacation. Pure torture. The Ipod didn’t help. Knowing that I am carrying 4 ten pound bowling balls didn’t help. Having the urge to go at mile 2.44 didn’t help. I realized that this will be a slow and difficult process. There will be good days and bad days. It is such a mental sport, this running business. I want it to be over already, but it’s just the beginning.