I never know what I do right, but this Saturday I felt really good during our run and I was able to complete all 13 miles running!! Friday, I had a Publix sub for lunch, ate a salad with chicken for dinner and some whole wheat pasta with soup right before bed. I also took some melatonin to help me sleep (I always have trouble getting a good night sleep) and felt Great when I woke up a 5 in the morning. I think having a good night’s sleep must have made a pretty big difference.
We met at a new location this week, 6:30am. Off we go on our 13 mile trek!
When we started off, I was a little discouraged that Michelle and Kate were so far in front of me. No matter how I feel, I try stick to my comfortable 11:30 pace, but it often leaves me far behind my other teammates. Running alone, I find it is very easy to become negative – concentrating on the things that hurt, on how I’d like to be sleeping, on the fact that I’m a slow runner, that I’d like to stop to walk and just self-defeating thoughts in general… especially in the beginning, when I know I have another 13 miles ahead of me. About a mile into the run, a former TNT coach, Richard, came and ran with me. I was very thankful and encouraged by his company. At this point, I have my pace down well enough to where I don’t get out of breath, so keeping up a conversation is pretty easy. Richard gave me a lot of pointers on how to train and correct form to use while running.
At mile 3, everyone stopped at the water station and I was able to catch Michelle and Kate. We all ran together for a while, but they were both listening to headphones, so when two other runners came by and started talking to me, I took off running with them. It helped me to pick up my pace, running with two strangers. The guy loves running and does marathons on a regular basis all over the country and the woman competes in triathlons. Needless to say, I did not want to slow them down and pushed myself to keep a faster pace. I really enjoy the running community. Being able to meet two random people and just start talking about running and races, how you train, what you use, etc. is really great. People who run also seem to be really friendly, for the most part. They told me a couple of good marathon training books to read as well, but I have to remember the authors name. Eventually, I had to tell the couple I needed to slow down and it was nice meeting them.
Poor Kate is getting a head cold and wasn’t feeling well and Michelle has been having serious knee pain, so before I knew it they were pretty far behind me. I felt bad for leaving them, but then I realized we all push for our very best each week – sometimes they leave me behind and other times I leave them, though I hope at the actual race we all cross the finish line together.
My goal while running was to make it to the 8 mile point without walking. At this distance in our training (and each week since mile 10), it is not the cardio that hurts anymore, it’s our legs and feet. Everyone is feeling it – Michelle’s knee, Kate’s calves, my feet, and several other people on our team are experiencing similar pain. Through the middle part of my run, it felt like someone was gabbing a long nail right through my foot where my 2nd biggest toe meets the bottom of my foot. I kept telling myself, “just keep running, I just have to make it to mile 8 and then I’ll walk some”. Finally, I made it to the station!! Whew, no walking. To try to help the pain in my foot (and the developing blisters), I took my shoes and socks off and put them back on.
Richard was just leaving the station, so instead of walking as planned, I starting running with him. Slow and steady, 5 miles to go. Again, in the run, my foot started hurting very badly. This time, it felt like I was walking on a bed of needles with my right foot. Richard told me to use the ‘jiggle effect” to help myself run through the pain. You go from head to toe and think about every part of your body that jiggles as you run, taking time to concentrate on that feeling and movement. Over and over I went from head to toe and it really helped take the concentration off my pain. He also told me I’m keeping a consistent 11:30 pace, which I’m happy about – at least I’m consistent throughout the run. We caught up with Richards wife, who is doing her first full marathon. It is so sweet that they train together and encourage each other. She was very nice and told me some of the things she does to help with her training. I think this coming week, I’m going to add stair climbers to my short runs. After running/walking several 1 minute/3 minute intervals with them, I decided to keep running. I used the “jiggle effect” to keep my mind focused off the pain in my foot… until the last mile. Heading into mile 13, it felt like something snapped in the outer arch of my foot, almost like when you roll your ankle type of snap. It’s a very weird pain, I’ve never felt anything like that. In my head I was saying, “shut up stupid foot, I made it 12 miles, I’m not going to let you ruin this for me in the last mile”. I don’t know how I looked, it must have been pretty bad, but I don’t care – at mile 12.5 I was still running, with a limp in my step and holding back tears from the pain and frustration. I think this must be the ‘wall’ people talk about… where I just wanted to quit, my body hurt, I was hungry and frustrated by my weakness, I wanted to cry, but I kept pushing through – determined I was going to make it that remaining ½ mile so I could say I ran an entire 13 miles. The jiggle effect didn’t work so well at this point, but I refused to make it 12.5 miles running just to walk ½ mile to the finish. I pushed through, I kept going and I’m glad I did. AND I finished in 2:27! That’s faster than I did 12 miles last week!
This blog is getting really long, but it’s covering at least 3 hours of running, which feels almost like an eternity while you’re out there doing it. I’ve even cut out a lot of the pointers Richard, the other 2 runners, and Richard’s wife gave me lol. After our run, we went home, Kate and I made delicious omelets, toast and turkey bacon (which tastes Heavenly after running), took ice baths (separately lol) and then I took a nap, not wanting to replay last week’s mistake of skipping the nap. Today is Tuesday and my right foot is still in a little pain. I think we all need more guidance on how to help our bodies recover from long runs. I’m getting ready to go run stair climbers, I hope my feet will be ok. Oh, I’m buying new shoes tonight too.
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