Benny is 4!
12 years ago
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Updates
Soooo... I ran my 16-miler and lived to tell the tale! It actually went surprisingly well! Having Holly riding her bike along side me really helped me miss a few miles and helped me to keep going!
Miles 1-10 went pretty smoothly. I stopped at mile 6 for some fuel, then again at mile 10. Then something magical happened... From mile 10-12 my body was totally in autopilot. It was the weirdest feeling! It was like I inhabited this robot that was just running. I honestly had no say in the pace (which was pretty good and maintainable), nor my ability to stop.
Holly stopped at one of the parks to use the facilities, and I continued on foot. Only I used her absence as my excuse to see how fast this robot body could go, and my pace picked up! Mile 12-13 was easily my fastest mile! Just slightly under 10 minutes!
I told myself I could stop at mile 13, to eat something and to stop at a water fountain. At this point I had been going for almost 3 hours and was running low on fluids in my hydration belt.
In retrospect, I shouldn't have stopped. Or walked for so long, I was walking for about 2 minutes when Holly caught up with me. This also coincided with the rigor mortis setting in. When I started back up again it felt like I was trying to run on wooden pegs. I slowed waaaaaaay down, too.
Miles 13-15 were painfully slow, yet satisfying. This trail is where a lot of my runs have ended, so I'm familiar with landmarks and things that let me know how much further I have to go. I kept trying to bargain with myself that I could walk at the two mile mark, or the one mile mark... but I know that I need to be a tougher mental athlete, so I didn't stop. Soon we were at the Wall of Death, which meant one more mile.
I don't know if it was a second wind, or just the sheer excitement to get this over with, but I was able to muster up enough energy to start picking up the pace again. Then some walkers were coming on to the trail, which gave me an excuse to pick up the pace, yet again. Before I knew it I was in an all-out sprint for the end of the trail!
I finished in 3:21:28... not terrible, but I wasn't too concerned with time for this one.
What was terrible, however, were the aches and pains that seemed to instantly inflame my legs. I went over to the grass at gasworks to stretch out, but ended up just sitting down. My legs couldn't support my weight any longer.
I spent a few minutes sitting there in shade while Holly practiced some of her bike-run transitions in the parking lot, then we went to grab some coffee.
Once we got to the coffee shop, my legs felt OK! I was a little stiff, especially on the stairs... but I didn't feel quite as destroyed as I felt right after the run was over.
I went home elevated my legs and took a short nap, then I was out amongst the normal people... and able to walk like a girl! I'm so grateful that my recovery time isn't what it used to be! I really only need an hour or so after the run to really relax, then everything seems to fall back into place!
Soooooo... this week I'm back down to 10 miles, then the next week is... dun dun dun... 18 miles! I need to figure out where I'll do my 18 and 20-milers. It might be kind of cool to go out 20 miles, and get picked up... just to see how far I can run...
to Kenmore perhaps?
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In other news, swimming laps is really flippin' hard! Yesterday was my first attempt at swimming laps. We went to the outdoor pool in West Seattle, and it was divine! The weather was nice and warm, and so was the water :)
The pool was 50 feet long (as opposed to most pools which are 38 feet long). I did 6 out and backs, with significant resting periods between each lap. I couldn't believe how quickly my heart rate shot up while trying to swim a significant distance. The most bizarre feeling is sweating while you're submerged in water...
Swimming proved to be the perfect cross-training activity, as I worked out the kink in my hamstring from my speed work the night before. Today I was walking on fresh legs!
So maybe after the marathon I'll learn to swim? I mean, there were plenty of other people finishing out their laps in a doggie paddle...
Oh wait..
that was just me...
Whatever, I ran 16 miles last weekend, AND I can doggie paddle with the best of them! :)
Miles 1-10 went pretty smoothly. I stopped at mile 6 for some fuel, then again at mile 10. Then something magical happened... From mile 10-12 my body was totally in autopilot. It was the weirdest feeling! It was like I inhabited this robot that was just running. I honestly had no say in the pace (which was pretty good and maintainable), nor my ability to stop.
Holly stopped at one of the parks to use the facilities, and I continued on foot. Only I used her absence as my excuse to see how fast this robot body could go, and my pace picked up! Mile 12-13 was easily my fastest mile! Just slightly under 10 minutes!
I told myself I could stop at mile 13, to eat something and to stop at a water fountain. At this point I had been going for almost 3 hours and was running low on fluids in my hydration belt.
In retrospect, I shouldn't have stopped. Or walked for so long, I was walking for about 2 minutes when Holly caught up with me. This also coincided with the rigor mortis setting in. When I started back up again it felt like I was trying to run on wooden pegs. I slowed waaaaaaay down, too.
Miles 13-15 were painfully slow, yet satisfying. This trail is where a lot of my runs have ended, so I'm familiar with landmarks and things that let me know how much further I have to go. I kept trying to bargain with myself that I could walk at the two mile mark, or the one mile mark... but I know that I need to be a tougher mental athlete, so I didn't stop. Soon we were at the Wall of Death, which meant one more mile.
I don't know if it was a second wind, or just the sheer excitement to get this over with, but I was able to muster up enough energy to start picking up the pace again. Then some walkers were coming on to the trail, which gave me an excuse to pick up the pace, yet again. Before I knew it I was in an all-out sprint for the end of the trail!
I finished in 3:21:28... not terrible, but I wasn't too concerned with time for this one.
What was terrible, however, were the aches and pains that seemed to instantly inflame my legs. I went over to the grass at gasworks to stretch out, but ended up just sitting down. My legs couldn't support my weight any longer.
I spent a few minutes sitting there in shade while Holly practiced some of her bike-run transitions in the parking lot, then we went to grab some coffee.
Once we got to the coffee shop, my legs felt OK! I was a little stiff, especially on the stairs... but I didn't feel quite as destroyed as I felt right after the run was over.
I went home elevated my legs and took a short nap, then I was out amongst the normal people... and able to walk like a girl! I'm so grateful that my recovery time isn't what it used to be! I really only need an hour or so after the run to really relax, then everything seems to fall back into place!
Soooooo... this week I'm back down to 10 miles, then the next week is... dun dun dun... 18 miles! I need to figure out where I'll do my 18 and 20-milers. It might be kind of cool to go out 20 miles, and get picked up... just to see how far I can run...
to Kenmore perhaps?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news, swimming laps is really flippin' hard! Yesterday was my first attempt at swimming laps. We went to the outdoor pool in West Seattle, and it was divine! The weather was nice and warm, and so was the water :)
The pool was 50 feet long (as opposed to most pools which are 38 feet long). I did 6 out and backs, with significant resting periods between each lap. I couldn't believe how quickly my heart rate shot up while trying to swim a significant distance. The most bizarre feeling is sweating while you're submerged in water...
Swimming proved to be the perfect cross-training activity, as I worked out the kink in my hamstring from my speed work the night before. Today I was walking on fresh legs!
So maybe after the marathon I'll learn to swim? I mean, there were plenty of other people finishing out their laps in a doggie paddle...
Oh wait..
that was just me...
Whatever, I ran 16 miles last weekend, AND I can doggie paddle with the best of them! :)
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Where we're going, we don't need roads...
I am about to embark on a journey into uncharted territory...
in more ways than one.
This morning I'm running 16 miles. The furthest I have ever run in my life. I hear this one is going to be a hard one. Luckily, my friend, Holly, has been gracious enough to volunteer to ride her bike along side me.
My 14-miler was fantastic! I finished it in 2:40, which is only 2 minutes after my Vancouver Half time. I'm expecting this run to take me well into 3 hours of running... I don't even know how to plan for that.
We're also heading 8 miles out along the Burke-Gilman trail. I've never been more than 3 miles out...
Wish me luck!
in more ways than one.
This morning I'm running 16 miles. The furthest I have ever run in my life. I hear this one is going to be a hard one. Luckily, my friend, Holly, has been gracious enough to volunteer to ride her bike along side me.
My 14-miler was fantastic! I finished it in 2:40, which is only 2 minutes after my Vancouver Half time. I'm expecting this run to take me well into 3 hours of running... I don't even know how to plan for that.
We're also heading 8 miles out along the Burke-Gilman trail. I've never been more than 3 miles out...
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
My body is falling apart... sort of
Last night one of my toe nails popped off...
I guess that makes me an official runner!
hahaha :) No, but I've known I was going to lose two of my toe nails, the other one still looks like it's ready to go at any time. If toes had the same names as their corresponding finger, I would be talking about my pointer toes. (Second in from the big toe) But in the world of toes, those ones would probably be ring toes, that's where I always wore my toe rings.
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In other news, I finally made it to the doctor to check out my gall bladder. My doc was already talking surgery before he even sent me to get my ultrasound. Which freaked me out. On my health history I had checked off weight loss, so he asked me about it. When I told him I had lost 86 pounds his immediate response was, "On purpose?!"
Who accidentally loses 86 pounds, really? I could see 5, 10, 15, maybe 20... but 86? It takes a lot a freaking hard work to lose 86!
Anyway, I think he could have handled that situation a little better. I didn't really dig him from the start. He had on a gold chain and some of his chest hair was poking out of his scrubs. He totally struck me as the kind of guy that would have been a lot nicer if I had blonde hair and fake boobs.
But who does this guy think he is? He does colonoscopies for a living?
Meh, now I'm just being mean. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a new gastroendenologist.
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I had an ultrasound on Wednesday and I got to see my stones on the monitor... they're going to be soccer players!
I have two small stones, and apparently the small ones are the more painful ones. I asked my ultrasound technician if my stones and me can have a peaceful coexistence; one where I don't feed them anything that makes them angry, and inturn they don't make feel so sick I want to die.
She said it is possible. My gallbladder is not infected, so it doesn't have to come out.
There's a little ray of hope! :)
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Normally I don't think I know more than doctors. In fact, I know I don't know more than doctors. But I really don't want to have surgery if I don't have to. If they remove my entire gallbladder it'll mean an overnight stay in the hospital (something I've never had to do), and at least a month before I can return to any form of strenuous exercising.
Even though the pain is pretty bad I know I can control it through diet. And I know I can get through it for at least the next two months.
I'm pretty much refusing to let surgery get in the way of my training for the portland marathon. I've worked too hard and I just want to make it to Portland so that I can take a break afterward. A real one.
In the mean time, my mom is researching my holistic medicine options, and I'll be avoiding Cheez-its, french fries, and excessive amounts of dairy. We can get through this!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even though it seems like my body is falling apart, the rest of me is incredibly healthy! Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, my insides... all in terrific shape! The guy who took my blood pressure was surprised at how "normal" it was. He asked me if it's always that low...
I dunno? I guess so, right?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That concludes this health update :) Hope everyone else is feeling as healthy and vibrant as possible!
I guess that makes me an official runner!
hahaha :) No, but I've known I was going to lose two of my toe nails, the other one still looks like it's ready to go at any time. If toes had the same names as their corresponding finger, I would be talking about my pointer toes. (Second in from the big toe) But in the world of toes, those ones would probably be ring toes, that's where I always wore my toe rings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news, I finally made it to the doctor to check out my gall bladder. My doc was already talking surgery before he even sent me to get my ultrasound. Which freaked me out. On my health history I had checked off weight loss, so he asked me about it. When I told him I had lost 86 pounds his immediate response was, "On purpose?!"
Who accidentally loses 86 pounds, really? I could see 5, 10, 15, maybe 20... but 86? It takes a lot a freaking hard work to lose 86!
Anyway, I think he could have handled that situation a little better. I didn't really dig him from the start. He had on a gold chain and some of his chest hair was poking out of his scrubs. He totally struck me as the kind of guy that would have been a lot nicer if I had blonde hair and fake boobs.
But who does this guy think he is? He does colonoscopies for a living?
Meh, now I'm just being mean. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a new gastroendenologist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had an ultrasound on Wednesday and I got to see my stones on the monitor... they're going to be soccer players!
I have two small stones, and apparently the small ones are the more painful ones. I asked my ultrasound technician if my stones and me can have a peaceful coexistence; one where I don't feed them anything that makes them angry, and inturn they don't make feel so sick I want to die.
She said it is possible. My gallbladder is not infected, so it doesn't have to come out.
There's a little ray of hope! :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Normally I don't think I know more than doctors. In fact, I know I don't know more than doctors. But I really don't want to have surgery if I don't have to. If they remove my entire gallbladder it'll mean an overnight stay in the hospital (something I've never had to do), and at least a month before I can return to any form of strenuous exercising.
Even though the pain is pretty bad I know I can control it through diet. And I know I can get through it for at least the next two months.
I'm pretty much refusing to let surgery get in the way of my training for the portland marathon. I've worked too hard and I just want to make it to Portland so that I can take a break afterward. A real one.
In the mean time, my mom is researching my holistic medicine options, and I'll be avoiding Cheez-its, french fries, and excessive amounts of dairy. We can get through this!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even though it seems like my body is falling apart, the rest of me is incredibly healthy! Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, my insides... all in terrific shape! The guy who took my blood pressure was surprised at how "normal" it was. He asked me if it's always that low...
I dunno? I guess so, right?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That concludes this health update :) Hope everyone else is feeling as healthy and vibrant as possible!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
So where's this slow and steady race?
I am the slowest runner, ever.
period.
ever.
exclamation point!
As I embark on this marathon journey I realize I'm going to be doing the majority of my long runs on my own. Which is fine, I'm perfectly good company for the first nine miles... then I'll talk to just about anyone who passes me. Don't be surprised when you start getting calls from the road! I'm just not used to being solely responsible for my pace.
My first official long run after the Seafair Half Marathon was an 11.2 mile run... over queen anne hill, around lake union, and back over queen anne hill. It took me 2:25! Granted, I did run the queen anne hill twice, and I wasn't really on fresh legs, but still! I averaged 13 minute-miles! Yeesh, some people walk that fast!
Here's the loop:
I highly recommend it! It was a beautiful run. The best part was getting to the other side of the lake and seeing buildings I had just ran by look so small in the distance. I mean, this was a fantastic long run! The problem was my heart rate only raised above 165 when I was running up hill. I held back and fell into a nice easy pace that I could have kept up all day.
But who wants to run all day?
My only motivation for getting faster is that I just don't want to be running for 6+ hours to finish the 26.2! I'm not talking about running a sub 4-hour marathon... I'm thinking between 5:15 and 5:45. (And hey, I would be ecstatic to beat Katie Holmes' time. Hey, it looks like we might have the same pants!)
Last weekend I did a 10-mile long run, and it took me 1:56. Not too shabby... And yesterday I ran 6 miles in 1:06. I'm totally happy with that, too!
What I need to learn is how hard to push myself. I dream of being able to just bust out 10-minute miles with no effort necessary. What I'm now realizing is that if I want to run 10-minute miles, I need to keep running miles at that pace and eventually it will get easier. Or at least striving for that pace. My 6-mile run was definitely not easy. I really had to push the last two miles to keep up the pace.
I think I've found the difference between jogging and running. When I'm jogging, I can run for days at a super slow pace. When I'm running, I'm pushing and trying to gage how hard to push so I have enough endurance to las the whole run.
Tomorrow morning I'm doing some speed work again. I did some track workouts with Holly on Monday and it was awesome! I wish the track by me wasn't so scary :)
I also think it might be time to step up the gear... I'm really thinking about getting a heart rate monitor that tracks mileage and pace... A big investment, but it will really help me on my long runs.
I want to go fast!!! Now I need to work for it!
period.
ever.
exclamation point!
As I embark on this marathon journey I realize I'm going to be doing the majority of my long runs on my own. Which is fine, I'm perfectly good company for the first nine miles... then I'll talk to just about anyone who passes me. Don't be surprised when you start getting calls from the road! I'm just not used to being solely responsible for my pace.
My first official long run after the Seafair Half Marathon was an 11.2 mile run... over queen anne hill, around lake union, and back over queen anne hill. It took me 2:25! Granted, I did run the queen anne hill twice, and I wasn't really on fresh legs, but still! I averaged 13 minute-miles! Yeesh, some people walk that fast!
Here's the loop:
I highly recommend it! It was a beautiful run. The best part was getting to the other side of the lake and seeing buildings I had just ran by look so small in the distance. I mean, this was a fantastic long run! The problem was my heart rate only raised above 165 when I was running up hill. I held back and fell into a nice easy pace that I could have kept up all day.
But who wants to run all day?
My only motivation for getting faster is that I just don't want to be running for 6+ hours to finish the 26.2! I'm not talking about running a sub 4-hour marathon... I'm thinking between 5:15 and 5:45. (And hey, I would be ecstatic to beat Katie Holmes' time. Hey, it looks like we might have the same pants!)
Last weekend I did a 10-mile long run, and it took me 1:56. Not too shabby... And yesterday I ran 6 miles in 1:06. I'm totally happy with that, too!
What I need to learn is how hard to push myself. I dream of being able to just bust out 10-minute miles with no effort necessary. What I'm now realizing is that if I want to run 10-minute miles, I need to keep running miles at that pace and eventually it will get easier. Or at least striving for that pace. My 6-mile run was definitely not easy. I really had to push the last two miles to keep up the pace.
I think I've found the difference between jogging and running. When I'm jogging, I can run for days at a super slow pace. When I'm running, I'm pushing and trying to gage how hard to push so I have enough endurance to las the whole run.
Tomorrow morning I'm doing some speed work again. I did some track workouts with Holly on Monday and it was awesome! I wish the track by me wasn't so scary :)
I also think it might be time to step up the gear... I'm really thinking about getting a heart rate monitor that tracks mileage and pace... A big investment, but it will really help me on my long runs.
I want to go fast!!! Now I need to work for it!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Who am I?
Yesterday I was walking over to Jessica's apartment and I saw it...
They are building a TACO BELL less than a block from my friggin' apartment! This is going to be the ultimate test!
Most people who know me know of my deep and profound love of the bell. Even the logo is so inviting with it's hip, fresh colors, to match it's hip fresh(?) food! Even a glimpse of the logo can get my salivation glands going like one of Pavlov's dogs.
Mmmm... bean burritos, chalupas, mexican pizza, mexi-tots, Cheesey bean and rice burrito... MMmmmmm.... listen to my inner-fatty roar! RRRaaaaaarrrrr yom yom yom!
The good news is the Bell has not opened yet... It looks like we're still a few weeks away before the test begins.
Damn! And I had been doing so well... is this going to be my kryptonite?
I think I'm going to be OK. I haven't been to Taco Bell in over seven months. If this had happened last year I think it would have been a real problem. But now I know the only days I can visit the Bell is after running for 2 hours so I can quickly burn through all the APs I'm earning. I'll have to get a shirt with the Taco Bell logo and a line that says, "This is why I run!"
Then it hit me, I'm referring to myself as two different people.
Old Me
and
New Me
Old me would be ecstatic that I don't have to drive 15 minutes to the nearest taco bell, and I can waddle down the street into cheesey goodness.
New me is frightened by the idea of Taco Bell being so close to my home, and was immediately grateful that it is out my back door instead of the front door near subway.
Wow!
I think I've made the transformation into thinking like a healthy person. Well, healthier... When I started to think about everything that I've changed in the last year it all made sense: I've become a different person!
A year ago if you had told me I was going to run a half marathon on the hottest day of the year, I would have told you you were full of it! There's no way I could even run a quarter of a mile! Well, Matt maintains I would have said, "Shut up and hand me a piece of pizza, don't forget the ranch!" Which is probably more accurate... :)
I've noticed how I'm physically becoming another person, I don't even recognize certain parts of my body anymore. My hands are so strong looking and have bulging veins... instead of the chubby 12-year old hands I've had my entire life. I'm starting to see and feel muscles in my legs that I've never seen before!
I still feel like I'm me... but I'm in a different me suit. And with different priorities. A year ago a friend asked me what the top five things were that make me happy... was it sad that three of them were food?
5. Tup Tim Thai's Pad See Ew
4. Chicken Tikka Masala
3. Anything with cheese melted on it
2. My friends
1. Matt and my family
What would be five things that make me happy now?
5. Design and excelling at work
4. Finishing a long run
3. My friends
2. Matt and my family
1. Feeling confident and proud of all that I have accomplished
Well, now that I realize I'm transforming into a new person, it's time to decide who I want to be. There are definitely different areas of my personality that could stand to be improved. And I've learned how to make changes in my life. Start small and before you know it, you've turned your whole life around! Besides, it's never too late to be who you could have been!
They are building a TACO BELL less than a block from my friggin' apartment! This is going to be the ultimate test!
Most people who know me know of my deep and profound love of the bell. Even the logo is so inviting with it's hip, fresh colors, to match it's hip fresh(?) food! Even a glimpse of the logo can get my salivation glands going like one of Pavlov's dogs.
Mmmm... bean burritos, chalupas, mexican pizza, mexi-tots, Cheesey bean and rice burrito... MMmmmmm.... listen to my inner-fatty roar! RRRaaaaaarrrrr yom yom yom!
The good news is the Bell has not opened yet... It looks like we're still a few weeks away before the test begins.
Damn! And I had been doing so well... is this going to be my kryptonite?
I think I'm going to be OK. I haven't been to Taco Bell in over seven months. If this had happened last year I think it would have been a real problem. But now I know the only days I can visit the Bell is after running for 2 hours so I can quickly burn through all the APs I'm earning. I'll have to get a shirt with the Taco Bell logo and a line that says, "This is why I run!"
Then it hit me, I'm referring to myself as two different people.
Old Me
and
New Me
Old me would be ecstatic that I don't have to drive 15 minutes to the nearest taco bell, and I can waddle down the street into cheesey goodness.
New me is frightened by the idea of Taco Bell being so close to my home, and was immediately grateful that it is out my back door instead of the front door near subway.
Wow!
I think I've made the transformation into thinking like a healthy person. Well, healthier... When I started to think about everything that I've changed in the last year it all made sense: I've become a different person!
A year ago if you had told me I was going to run a half marathon on the hottest day of the year, I would have told you you were full of it! There's no way I could even run a quarter of a mile! Well, Matt maintains I would have said, "Shut up and hand me a piece of pizza, don't forget the ranch!" Which is probably more accurate... :)
I've noticed how I'm physically becoming another person, I don't even recognize certain parts of my body anymore. My hands are so strong looking and have bulging veins... instead of the chubby 12-year old hands I've had my entire life. I'm starting to see and feel muscles in my legs that I've never seen before!
I still feel like I'm me... but I'm in a different me suit. And with different priorities. A year ago a friend asked me what the top five things were that make me happy... was it sad that three of them were food?
5. Tup Tim Thai's Pad See Ew
4. Chicken Tikka Masala
3. Anything with cheese melted on it
2. My friends
1. Matt and my family
What would be five things that make me happy now?
5. Design and excelling at work
4. Finishing a long run
3. My friends
2. Matt and my family
1. Feeling confident and proud of all that I have accomplished
Well, now that I realize I'm transforming into a new person, it's time to decide who I want to be. There are definitely different areas of my personality that could stand to be improved. And I've learned how to make changes in my life. Start small and before you know it, you've turned your whole life around! Besides, it's never too late to be who you could have been!
Monday, June 30, 2008
I have been to purgatory
Yesterday I finished my second half marathon during the hottest day of the year in Seattle. It also happened to be the hilliest course I have ever run.We'll start with the good part... like the first 5 miles were no problem. It was a little warm, but we ran across the 520 Bridge (photo to the left) and had the benefit of a nice cool breeze coming off the water. I couldn't even believe we had been running for an hour already!
Everything was going fine until I saw the 7 mile marker...
half way up a hill.
Wait a second... this course was supposed to be flat! I had checked the course elevation map and the biggest hill should be coming between mile 11 and mile 12 (coincidentally the hardest mile in a half marathon, right?) Here's the course map provided by
the race (to the right), which shows some rolling hills, but for the most part, a fairly manageable course.Chris and I are able to get through the first two hills. There are some wonderful spectators on their lawns wetting us down with their hose and sprinklers. It feels great for a moment before all the water evaporates off my skin...
Damn, it's hot.
We get the satisfaction of running down hill, only to turn the corner and see...
another incline?!?!
I started running up it, but I was going so slow I knew I had to walk... it was too much. My heart was pounding and I could not cool off. I checked my heart rate monitor... 178! And I'm walking... partially in the shade!
As a reference for me, here's how the heart rates break down:
165- Nice, easy 11 minute-mile
175 - Pushing for a 10+ minute-mile
180- Running uphill in cool weather
189- Heart is about to pound out of my chest, incredibly uncomfortable
I realize I need to to take it easy, especially if I want to have anything left for those last dreaded miles. I stopped at every water station and walked while I downed glucose and water.
I'm able to keep chugging along, but this part of the race was definitely challenging. I knew Deb would be at mile 10.5, so I had to at least make it that far!
Deb was actually a little past mile 11, which actually made all of mile 10 go by much more quickly! She asked how it was going, all I could say was, "this sucks!"
I knew I only had two miles to go, but I started to feel all sorts of strange sensations in my body. My hands had swollen to the point where it was painful to try to close my fingers. My feet were swollen and my shoes felt so tight. My left ankle shot pain up my leg with each step, meanwhile my right hamstring felt like it was on the verge of cramping.
And I had the chills! I could feel the goosebumps showing up on my arms, and I felt cold, yet feverish. I even starting getting a tingling sensation on my face.
Then Chris and I hit the even larger hill. I knew I had to walk it. We both decided to walk to the top and see how we felt about running the downhill afterward. As we were walking Chris saw this gal we had started with. Her shirt said, " I thought this was supposed to be a beer run!" She really wanted to beat her, so she picked up the pace.
I did not.
I felt like I was lucky to be walking at this point.
I came to the mile 12 marker, only a mile to go... slightly downhill. I started to run again. I was sooooo slow. I just could not muster enough strength to pick up the pace. I could see Chris off in the distance. But she was too far. I couldn't catch up. I just had to take it at my own, very slow, pace.
Before I knew it, I turned the corner and I was in the shoot and could see the finish line. It's funny, at this point during Vancouver I started choking up because I was so proud of my accomplishment. This time, they were literally tears of joy. I knew not to let myself totally cry because I can't breathe, but I didn't care, I was sooooo excited for this to be over!
Then some dude started coming up on my left... No way Jose! I somehow found some strength to pick up the pace and finish before him!
And then there was watermelon! Woo hoo! I could not think of a better post-race treat! My face was covered in watermelon by the time I met up with Deb, Chris, and Chris' family.
I don't even care about my time, or the fact that I had to walk more than I would have liked. I am so ecstatic that experience is over. I was so nervous the night before and it turns out, the race was even more terrible than I had imagined it would be. But I survived!
Chris later emailed me the actual course elevation and map:
Yeah, that's more what it felt like. Every agonizing step... But I couldn't be more happy that I did it. I probably won't put myself through that again... but now I really know that even when things seem terrible, if I just put my head down and take one step at a time, I'll get through it.
I'm too stubborn not to.
Portland, here I come!
Friday, June 27, 2008
They don't make 'em like they used to!
Surprise surprise!
I can't eat like I used to...
Not that it's a bad thing, by any means!
Its probably a good thing that I had to spend half of the Mariners game in the bathroom because I ate 10 garlic fries. And I wish it was just diarrhea or something I knew how to control...
I'm about 95% sure that I have gallstones. I know I'm totally a self-diagnoser, but I've been doing some research and it's all pointing to the same thing. I've had six "episodes" in the last six months. Initially I thought it was just really bad gas from being lactose intolerant. But how do you research "cramps" and "gas"? Those are symptoms for just about anything that's fun!
Then I stumbled upon an article on gallstones.
(they're so cute in their little dish)
Here's how wikipedia describes the attacks:
A main symptom of gallstones is commonly referred to as a gallstone "attack", also known as binary colic, in which a person will experience intense pain in the upper abdominal region that steadily increases for approximately thirty minutes to several hours. A victim may also encounter pain in the back, ordinarily between the shoulder blades, or pain under the right shoulder. In some cases, the pain develops in the lower region of the abdomen, nearer to the pelvis, but this is less common. Nausea and vomiting may occur.
Sounds pleasant, right?
I totally freaked Matt out when I had a terrible attack at the Las Vegas airport while we were in line to get our tickets. I started getting the pain in my stomach, and I knew what was about to happen. I started feeling really woozy and light headed. Then all the blood in my body rushed up to my head, I was barely awake standing up and I had the chills, yet I was dripping in sweat.
Matt took care of our bags so I could go to the restroom where I curled up into a ball and just waited it out. That's really all I can do. I was fine an hour later.
I blame the box of cheez-its I ate a half an hour before.
----------------------------------------------------------------
There was no way I could have gallstones, right? I mean I eat really really healthy most of the time. WTF? I'm supposed to have less health problems, not new ones!
I was on a walk with my friend, Holly, and she had mentioned that she came across an article saying that people who lose weight too quickly run the risk of getting gallstones.
So I immediately looked for the article.
It has been confirmed, I've developed gallstones from losing weight too quickly. I have lost 85 pounds in 9 months. Basically all that crap I ate before I decided to get healthy is still in my body. My poor gallbladder couldn't process it fast enough to keep up with my digestion. It probably doesn't help that I haven't been very good about getting my healthy oils in (which lubricate the process... get more of that *ish out of my system).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what have I done about it?
Nothing.
I keep putting off making a doctors appointment. I'm not scared to go. I really want to! I'm just a complete slacker about making appointments. I don't like using my phone for personal conversations in my office with 10 people and no walls. And I don't want to do it on my lunch break because I'm usually with co-workers.
I'm blogging about it, so anyone who reads this will harass me until I make an appointment. I already did research and picked out a doctor, I saved the number in my phone... no excuses.
Also, I guess this is sort of a public service announcement. Just raising awareness :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luckily, I only get these attacks when I eat absolute crap disguised as food. I know to avoid super greasy and really high fat foods. Because, frankly, none of that crap is worth the amount of pain it causes.
So now I'm stuck in this healthy world I've created for myself. Whether I like it or not :)
Let's go have some veggies dipped in hummus!
I can't eat like I used to...
Not that it's a bad thing, by any means!
Its probably a good thing that I had to spend half of the Mariners game in the bathroom because I ate 10 garlic fries. And I wish it was just diarrhea or something I knew how to control...
I'm about 95% sure that I have gallstones. I know I'm totally a self-diagnoser, but I've been doing some research and it's all pointing to the same thing. I've had six "episodes" in the last six months. Initially I thought it was just really bad gas from being lactose intolerant. But how do you research "cramps" and "gas"? Those are symptoms for just about anything that's fun!
Then I stumbled upon an article on gallstones.
(they're so cute in their little dish)
Here's how wikipedia describes the attacks:
A main symptom of gallstones is commonly referred to as a gallstone "attack", also known as binary colic, in which a person will experience intense pain in the upper abdominal region that steadily increases for approximately thirty minutes to several hours. A victim may also encounter pain in the back, ordinarily between the shoulder blades, or pain under the right shoulder. In some cases, the pain develops in the lower region of the abdomen, nearer to the pelvis, but this is less common. Nausea and vomiting may occur.
Sounds pleasant, right?
I totally freaked Matt out when I had a terrible attack at the Las Vegas airport while we were in line to get our tickets. I started getting the pain in my stomach, and I knew what was about to happen. I started feeling really woozy and light headed. Then all the blood in my body rushed up to my head, I was barely awake standing up and I had the chills, yet I was dripping in sweat.
Matt took care of our bags so I could go to the restroom where I curled up into a ball and just waited it out. That's really all I can do. I was fine an hour later.
I blame the box of cheez-its I ate a half an hour before.
----------------------------------------------------------------
There was no way I could have gallstones, right? I mean I eat really really healthy most of the time. WTF? I'm supposed to have less health problems, not new ones!
I was on a walk with my friend, Holly, and she had mentioned that she came across an article saying that people who lose weight too quickly run the risk of getting gallstones.
So I immediately looked for the article.
It has been confirmed, I've developed gallstones from losing weight too quickly. I have lost 85 pounds in 9 months. Basically all that crap I ate before I decided to get healthy is still in my body. My poor gallbladder couldn't process it fast enough to keep up with my digestion. It probably doesn't help that I haven't been very good about getting my healthy oils in (which lubricate the process... get more of that *ish out of my system).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what have I done about it?
Nothing.
I keep putting off making a doctors appointment. I'm not scared to go. I really want to! I'm just a complete slacker about making appointments. I don't like using my phone for personal conversations in my office with 10 people and no walls. And I don't want to do it on my lunch break because I'm usually with co-workers.
I'm blogging about it, so anyone who reads this will harass me until I make an appointment. I already did research and picked out a doctor, I saved the number in my phone... no excuses.
Also, I guess this is sort of a public service announcement. Just raising awareness :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luckily, I only get these attacks when I eat absolute crap disguised as food. I know to avoid super greasy and really high fat foods. Because, frankly, none of that crap is worth the amount of pain it causes.
So now I'm stuck in this healthy world I've created for myself. Whether I like it or not :)
Let's go have some veggies dipped in hummus!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Snoop Bloggy Blog
Man, I sometimes really suck at this "keeping up with my blog" business....
Here are my excuses:
- I've been working a lot
- I've been running a lot
- I've been enjoying an active social calendar
- And all these things mean I'm not sleeping much
The running world has been awesome! I've found two running buddies crazy enough to meet me as the sun comes up to go for a jog. We get to enjoy the beautiful views this city has to offer, and we have them all to ourselves!
Myrtle Edwards park can be somewhat scary when you're on your own, this morning Sarah was awesome enough to meet me at my apartment and we embarked on a four mile journey along the water front and back up Queen Anne hill. She's such a trooper, this run is gorgeous, but either way you end on an incline, Queen Anne hill being the lesser of two evils.
Tomorrow morning I'm meeting Chris at Alki at 5:30 a.m. to do 5 or 6 miles. This run is also fantastic! It's flat and we usually make a point of ending the run at starbucks, just in time for me to need some caffeine!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I've neglected my blog a little, but I'll be back! This weekend I'm running my second half marathon. I don't feel totally prepared for it, but I know it'll be fine. Expect a full report!
Here are my excuses:
- I've been working a lot
- I've been running a lot
- I've been enjoying an active social calendar
- And all these things mean I'm not sleeping much
The running world has been awesome! I've found two running buddies crazy enough to meet me as the sun comes up to go for a jog. We get to enjoy the beautiful views this city has to offer, and we have them all to ourselves!
Myrtle Edwards park can be somewhat scary when you're on your own, this morning Sarah was awesome enough to meet me at my apartment and we embarked on a four mile journey along the water front and back up Queen Anne hill. She's such a trooper, this run is gorgeous, but either way you end on an incline, Queen Anne hill being the lesser of two evils.
Tomorrow morning I'm meeting Chris at Alki at 5:30 a.m. to do 5 or 6 miles. This run is also fantastic! It's flat and we usually make a point of ending the run at starbucks, just in time for me to need some caffeine!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I've neglected my blog a little, but I'll be back! This weekend I'm running my second half marathon. I don't feel totally prepared for it, but I know it'll be fine. Expect a full report!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
How do they do it?
This whole week I've been struggling to get my runs in... Monday the weather was ridiculous (windy and cold), and my running buddy cancelled, which made it much easier for me to cancel... I was lucky enough to get myself to do yoga that night, so I wasn't a total waste.
Tuesday we had some friends over for dinner, and my apartment was a disaster, so rather than selfishly taking a run while the best boyfriend in the world cleans and slaves over dinner, I took the day to help get the apartment in order.
Tonight I went to a senior portfolio show, followed by Ladies' Night, followed by a much needed pedicure. (I'm totally not one of those gals, so the fact that my feet were so funky is a testament to how poorly I'm doing at keeping it all together.)
Tomorrow my theater group is meeting and Friday is well... ya know, Friday...
then I'm running 12 miles on Saturday! hahaha... that sounds pleasant...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I need to get my ass up in the morning. No more excuses. It is too hard in the summer to have a social life and train for a distance run. I know I won't be able to balance both successfully. Frankly, it doesn't get much better than drinking a cold beer at 3 in the afternoon on a sunny day....
All I need is some sun... and to have my run out of the way!
What does that really mean?
It means I need to be up at 4:30 in the morning. I have to be in the shower a little after 6 if I plan to catch the bus on time.
It also means I need to drive somewhere safe to run in the wee small hours of the morning. Even though Queen Anne is perfectly harmless, I'm still one girl running by herself, with no one around. My best bet is probably Greenlake... which will mean two or three laps around it once I get my distance up again... geesh! I thought this was supposed to be fun!
Last year I had a good 6 month stint of getting up to go to the gym every morning, and I know that all it takes is a week or two of sludging through it before it becomes routine.
I'm starting tomorrow...
I will be at Greenlake at 5... see ya there!
Tuesday we had some friends over for dinner, and my apartment was a disaster, so rather than selfishly taking a run while the best boyfriend in the world cleans and slaves over dinner, I took the day to help get the apartment in order.
Tonight I went to a senior portfolio show, followed by Ladies' Night, followed by a much needed pedicure. (I'm totally not one of those gals, so the fact that my feet were so funky is a testament to how poorly I'm doing at keeping it all together.)
Tomorrow my theater group is meeting and Friday is well... ya know, Friday...
then I'm running 12 miles on Saturday! hahaha... that sounds pleasant...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I need to get my ass up in the morning. No more excuses. It is too hard in the summer to have a social life and train for a distance run. I know I won't be able to balance both successfully. Frankly, it doesn't get much better than drinking a cold beer at 3 in the afternoon on a sunny day....
All I need is some sun... and to have my run out of the way!
What does that really mean?
It means I need to be up at 4:30 in the morning. I have to be in the shower a little after 6 if I plan to catch the bus on time.
It also means I need to drive somewhere safe to run in the wee small hours of the morning. Even though Queen Anne is perfectly harmless, I'm still one girl running by herself, with no one around. My best bet is probably Greenlake... which will mean two or three laps around it once I get my distance up again... geesh! I thought this was supposed to be fun!
Last year I had a good 6 month stint of getting up to go to the gym every morning, and I know that all it takes is a week or two of sludging through it before it becomes routine.
I'm starting tomorrow...
I will be at Greenlake at 5... see ya there!
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