Post-race euphoria

I've decided that running a distance race is a lot like giving birth. You very quickly forget the pain involved and focus only on the exciting parts of the experience--often wondering how soon you would take the opportunity to do it all again!

I'm about 48 hours post-race experience and have all but forgotten the torture I faced just a short time ago. I keep looking up my results online and staring at the numbers and splits, partly wondering what I could've done differently and how I could've trained better to knock a few minutes off that time. I also look at the final number and am in awe that it wasn't much higher, considering how hot it was that day and how I hadn't had a training run anywhere close to the high temps we experienced.

My legs feel great today. Yesterday was sore and I definitely took the elevator at church to avoid the long steep staircase, but today I feel good. I met my friend Amy at the trails and went for a 3.5 mile walk to eke out the final soreness and now I'm feeling real good.....good enough to plot out my next race, I do believe.

I'll leave you with this picture of my crew soon after we all finished--smiles all around!

If you've ever thought about running, but don't think you could do it....please take a note from me: If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. I never ran a day in my life until about 4 years ago. Right after I had Maddy, I was looking for a way to lose the baby weight and have a hobby I could keep all to myself. I went to Fleet Feet and bought a pricey pair of shoes, knowing that the right equipment would make a big difference between quitting and sticking with it. I signed up for a 5K race and it began from there.

July 4, 2004 My first 5K (Firecracker 5K)

Labor Day 2004 My first 10K (Franklin Classic)

October 2004 My first half-marathon (Louisville, KY)

I am by no means an athlete--I have had to learn how to do this the hard way, but it's something that I have learned to love. I did not love running the first year or so that I did it, but I stuck with it and now am at the point where I CRAVE the sweat and feeling you get when you are done. Give it a try!

4:45 a.m. came awfully early this morning...

Timeline of my race:

8:45 p.m. Night before the race: the "team" (Michael, our neighbor/friend/fellow running maniac Victor, my brother Keith, his friend Ben) and I spend a significant amount of time getting our race numbers appropriately centered and attached to our running clothes and attaching our timing chips to our shoes. We go through a dress rehearsal of what we're wearing and why we're wearing it. It's a successful venture. We all feel ready for the next day.

4:45 a.m. There's my alarm. I was sound asleep in dreamland. WHY OH WHY did we sign up for this type of torture? Sadly, the true torture hasn't even begun.

5:00 a.m. Slam some breakfast, Diet Coke, and water.

5:15 a.m. In the car with Keith & Ben (who looks an awful lot like Zac Efron, would you know?) We're following Michael & Victor downtown. No traffic! We're golden!

6:00 a.m. On the shuttle bus to the start line! SCORE: there is a bathroom on the bus!!! I will gladly use this facility and avoid the port-o-potty line. Have you seen the lines for those things?

6:30 a.m. Well, we made it to the start line, but I have to go to the bathroom again. Dang! OK, off to stand in the line. Keith and I size everybody up in the line around us--wondering who we'll be passing and who will be passing us.

6:55 a.m. I finally make it into what has to be the NASTIEST portapotty known to man. I am serious--it was rank. Hold your breath, hold your breath, hold your breath......break out!!! Now, a mad dash to the start line.

7:00 a.m. The Carter Twins sing the national anthem. The funniest sight I saw all day was the huge crowd of people in line to go to the bathroom standing at attention during this sacred moment of Americana.

7:01 a.m. BANG! And they're off. They are--not me. I am in corral 14 and will have to wait about a half-hour until my group is sent off.

7:25 a.m. I cross the start line!

Mile 1: MAN, it's hot.

Mile 2: Well, hello hill! I must remember to apologize to my guys--I told them Miles 1-2 were downhill. I grossly misrepresented the race course. This is VERY hilly!

Mile 3: Water station ahead! Cytomax is gross. Where's the gatorade?!? I appreciate a little Gatorade when I'm needing some electrolyte therapy. I'd rather pass on the Cytomax, but will have to make do, at least for the next 10 miles.

Mile 4: Hey! There's my friend Micah! Wish she were running with me. Darn her IT Band.

Mile 5: I guess I was in the zone. I don't remember much here.

Mile 6: Still in the zone.

Mile 7: Hmmm. Wonder why my achilles is talking to me? What's it saying? I'm doing my best to ignore it because I'm sure it's not good news.

Mile 8: MICAH!!! There she is again! What's she holding out there for me--what is that? I can't quite see.....must get closer.....It's Gatorade!!!! Oh mercy, it's Gatorade! Micah is my Angel of Electrolytes. I can carry on!!! Only 5 miles to go.

Mile 9: Zone.

Mile 10: OK. I am so done. Not digging the race anymore. This is not fun and I hurt. My legs are sore. My achilles hurts. My brain is fried. AND IT'S HOT. It had to be 80 degrees at this point. DONE. At this moment, I started telling myself..."it's 30 more minutes. That's it. In 30 minutes, you will never have to run another minute in your life if you don't want to. Just finish these 30 minutes and you can hang up your racing shoes for life. Just 30 more minutes. You can do anything for 30 minutes." But I didn't much believe myself. I didn't think I could do it for 30 minutes, but on the flip side, I knew I would want to run again. Just not anytime soon.

Mile 11: I started talking to random people at this point and trying to find someone interesting to talk to. ACHES AND PAINS. My legs were screaming.

Mile 12: ONE MORE MILE. Cytomax still tastes gross and I am convinced that I really won't ever WALK again, much less run again. WHY IS THERE A DARN HILL IN THIS RACE AT MILE 12?!? Who's great idea was it to put a hill at mile 12?!?

Mile 13: I can see the finish!!!

2 hours, 12 minutes is my time. I am more than pleased. I ran it in 2:15 last year and was hoping for 2:10, but 2:12 is just fine with me, considering the torture I felt from Miles 10-13.

Want to hear something just delightful now? THEY HAD OREOS IN THE FINISHER'S VILLAGE. Oreos, people. O-R-E-O-S. And the heat of the day finally came in handy for something--the cream inside the oreos was soft and warm like a cookie right out of the oven. It was delicious.

I found my team of guys and we all exchanged battle stories. Ben schooled us all--this was his first half-marathon and he killed it! He finished in 1:32 or something close to that.

And, that's the story of my race today!

Does anybody know where I can find a discount code for early registration for next year's race?

Am I ever glad THAT'S over...

Finished in 2:12-ish range.

More later.

OUCH.

Race Expo

Michael & I went down to the Expo this afternoon around lunchtime to pick up our race packets, numbers, shoe chips and all the soybar freebies one girl can handle.

And just how many soybar freebies could I handle? Well, half of one to be exact. And it wasn't even full-sized...it was a sample. Darn those things--I always want them to taste like a candy bar and would you know, they never do? I'm just waiting on a healthy candy bar to be invented and I shall give them all the free advertising they'd ever want on my blog. Which is very tempting, I'm sure, seeing as how there are at least a dozen of you out there (Hi Mom!). Anyways, the "peanut butter cookie" Luna bar or whatever brand they were dishing out tasted like.....soy.

I managed to train these past 4 months or so and stayed completely injury free. It was remarkable. However, I almost blew it all today at the Expo when I stubbed my toe on Will's stroller. Seriously--how devastating would that be?

Old Friend I See in Kroger Check Out Line: "Hey Ellen, how'd you do in the race?!"
Me: "Well, I didn't get to participate: injury."
OFISIKCOL: "Oh, IT Band? Achilles troubles?"
Me: "No.....not exactly...."
OFISIKCOL: "Tendonitis? Runner's Knee?"
Me: "No, I stubbed my pinkie toe really bad at the Expo when I was picking up my race packet."

Thankfully, I think I'll recover in time for the race on Saturday.

T-3 days and counting: race day!

So, I wrote my big post the other day all about resting my legs for the race this Saturday and honing in on some good dietary choices.


A little less talk and a lot more action, Ellen!


I downed 1/2 a bag of Cheetos yesterday afternoon.


I was also weak about my resolve to not go to my strength training class to avoid any muscle soreness....but I'm addicted, y'all! I can't NOT go. I was on my way into the Y and had bigs plans to do a short, easy run on the treadmill. But then I saw my friends' cars in the parking lot and I knew they'd be there....so I went. I lunged, squatted, and crunched my way through the class and am now hoping I don't jinx my performance on Saturday.


ANYWAYS, the most important thing, however, is my OUTFIT!


I got a new outfit for the race on Saturday. I went with a red "technical fabric" sleeveless top and some black shorts. I went with red because, like Tiger Woods on Sundays at his tournaments, it signifies......well, I don't know what it signifies. But Tiger wears red and I am going to as well.


I will do my best to get some action pictures on Saturday to post.


If you happen to be in downtown Nashville on Saturday morning.....if you see a flash of red zip by you so fast you couldn't see who it was.....well, it's probably not me. I'd be the one jogging by waving and smiling at the crowd.

T-5 days and counting....

The Country Music 1/2 Marathon is almost here! I have been training seriously for about 4 months. I've put lots of miles on these legs & feet and am actually really looking forward to Saturday! We've got family coming into town and my brother Keith is running with Michael & I, along with several neighbors and friends from church. It has taken much coordination to get the kids in the right place so we can just wake up, eat, and run, but I think I've finally gotten it all figured out.

My mother-in-law is keeping Will overnight on Friday night and part of Saturday; My parents will take care of John & Maddy and get them to John's baseball game at 10:30 that morning; we're still trying to work out the parking situation/shuttle. A few years ago, Keith & Michael ran the race together and followed the advice in the race literature: they woke up at 3:30 in the morning, parked at the finish line and rode the shuttle from the finish to the start line only to arrive before the volunteers did and so they had about 2 hours to kill before the race started! They stretched by the Parthenon; talked to the media folk there to cover the race; were first in line for the port-a-potties. We still laugh about that one. We'd like to avoid that if at all possible, however, we'd equally like to avoid the mistake I made last year. I did not have a car at the finish line (because there was a wreck at the exit to get off there earlier that morning), couldn't find a ride back to the start line where I'd parked and ended up PRAYING (literally) for someone to come along to give me a lift back to the start line.

OK, moving on:
This week, I hope to be wise with my diet and exercise--I plan to make it an easy week...skipping my strength training classes and will probably only do two short and easy runs to save my legs for Saturday.

The diet part, however, is a little trickier for me. I made the mistake before my last long run of fueling up past the point of fueling up and boy did I pay for it during my run! We were in KY at my parent's house and the option is available to just eat all day if that's what you desire. And, so I did. BIG MISTAKE. Banana pudding, strawberry pretzel salad, jelly beans galore, cupcakes, and a huge Easter dinner. The next day as I ran my 11 miles, I also did a lot of praying. I was actually longing to come upon a port-a-potty, if you know what I mean.

So, I'm planning to avoid that scenario as well.

Last, but not least, another one bit the dust. I lost another running partner. I am the kiss of death to someone's running career, apparently. If you are looking to get into running....don't ask me to train with you! Last year, I trained with Kirsten for 4 months and she woke up in the middle of the night before the race with a terrible stomach virus.

This year, I trained with Micah for 4 months before she dropped out because of her IT Band (don't ask me to explain the IT Band....just know that it is along the side of your leg from your knee to your hip.)

So, I'll be running the actual race solo again. Which.....could be good. I am a very social runner, so when I'm running with a friend, we just chat, laugh, tell life stories, give unsolicited advice to each other, show our stretch marks to each other, cry and so forth and so on. Last year when I had to run by myself at the last minute, I approached the start line with a "the quicker I do this, the quicker it's over" mentality and it paid off! I shaved 15 minutes off my old record. So, perhaps this year I'll do the same. Just run. Faster you run, faster you finish.