Week 11 of 16 wk Program

Ok first ....heck freakin' yeah.....I finally hit the 8 mile mark!!! I'm so unbelievably happy and I didn't drive myself mentally crazy leading up to it....


So let's back up and talk about the week....overall actually kind of a crappy week due to work hours...even managed to get myself locked out of our work area at 8:30 pm and had to beg the janitors to let me back in...in which he and 6 more followed me to my office...not sure if they thought a hijack was in action..but they had me out numbered and it was a sight watching them follow me to my office..so anyway....after last Monday didn't get in another run until Friday...it was suppose to be a tempo run...but I still stink at those. That may all change after the weekend...so the run itself was uneventful...ran through my neighborhood and just repeated the course...but most of all just loving being outdoors again and really being able to gage distance visually vs running around a track where you have no concept of distance...

Then the weekend....awesome time!! Headed down to Tucson to spend time with friends and compete in my first running race...."Get Moving Tucson 5K". Overall goal was to just get some kind of race under my belt before the big day...help me understand and mentally prepare for how it all works. So up bright and early...6 am..which is nothing for Shelley and she definitely I think took pleasure in turning on the bright lights to wake me up :) But all night I'd dreamt about it so I was up and going. Weather was great...a bit chilly and when we got there went and checked in (at about 7am) and then we went to the car to keep warm ... until the race time got closer. So note to self and perhaps TMI...but plan out the restroom time a bit better....got to the port-a-potties at 7:40 which first is everyone's favorite thing to begin with right...sense the sarcasm...and apparently everyone's coffee was kicking in because the were huge lines...me I was just worried out of precaution ;) No other fear then having to well you know...in the middle of the race....and I'm not hard core...there are folks that will let it all go just so they don't ruin their time...uhhhhhhh that's just wrong....for me just take 3 minutes or whatever off my start time...i have my dignity to uphold :) So anyway we just got to the line as they were doing the Star Spangle Banner and had a minute to spare...whew...close one.. So the race kicks off and Shelley had already told me...I think while in line for the port-a-potties :) that once we come up from the underpass (all uphill) we're going to kick it for the last 1/4 mile...me I'm like ok..but secretly saying "yeah right chick...we'll just see". So the race kicks off...and immediately I feel the pressure of the people around me...I don't know why...it's every age, size, speed you can imagine...so I just zoned in on me and whatever Shelley was saying to distract me at the moment. Goal was to keep within my normal pace for most of the race...which was about 13:30-13:40 yes i know slow...and then at then end go outside the box. For the most part hung within my pace if not faster...the first time under the underpass...there was an all female drum crew which echoed through the entire underpass...very cool and motivating. Then for the next two miles...Shelley entertained me by either pointing out people we could "reel in" and pass or just provide funny commentary in general...so it was a good distraction. It was still strange to me that it felt hard...why??...I guess again I had to go back to the fact that the first few miles are the hardest on any given day...which I'm seriously getting sick of this bull :) I told Shelley that is the hardest thing for me to grasp with running...and maybe I felt it with swimming...concept is the same but I don't remember it...but of course I was also 16 yrs younger :). As you get better shouldn't it get easier in the beginning vs in the end...it's total BS. Anyway I feel really bad about saying this but there was a woman with her husband and kid running separately and I could tell this was all about her...and them supporting her...and we stayed together for most of it...but honestly all I could think about was that I did not want her beating me!!! We are very likely going through the same thing...change in our life...giving run a go..and testing ourselves..and all I could think was that this chick was not crossing before me :) I know it's sick...so as we approach the underpass again...down then up....she passes me...and this is just before the plan of kickin' it in the last 1/4 mile was to take effect. I'm annoyed as all heck plus another woman whom I'd passed about mid way that sounded like she was dying had caught back up to me...and she was like 60 (while I'm speaking competively right now...I think it's awesome)....but in my mind I was like "uh no you didn't". So we go through the underpass and up the hill...I'm out of breath by the time we get to the top and Shelley is telling me I have two steps before we kick it....so two steps and I'm off...legs and muscle wise I felt great!!! I was in the zone and it felt smooth...only problem was I couldn't breath...I hadn't quite recovered from the hill so the entire 1/4 mile I felt like I was going to pass out...but I kept going at a pace that Shelley even told me to back off of...and I passed both ladies and crossed the finish line strong!! Was so happy!! We stayed for a while and watched the rest of the 5k folks come through as well as the winners of the 10 miler...the winner of the 10 miler came in at 52:07...uh only 11 minutes later than me and I only went 3.1 miles...amazing! So not to keep complaining or whatever it sounds like...I freaked out a bit about Big Sur after the race....it felt hard..and I don't know if that was partly due to the mental of the folks around me and perhaps pushing me outside my normal pace...but I just kept telling myself...really? I'm going to more than quadruple this...and in this type of environment...no way! I know myself...I'll completely psyche myself out...ok I take that back..also knowing myself I also know I'll psyche myself back in...but it's just such a mind game. So feeling great I drove home from Tucson with the top down and tanned/burned my left side...sweet...I don't care..I just completed my first race..weather was great and I had good tunes! And was so happy to do have done it with Shelley with over all support and motivation...as well as the way she consistently challenges me...which I can never turn down so it just reminds me I can do it!! Overall a great weekend!!

So I took Monday off and did my long run tonight..8 miles! Last Monday I was suppose to do 8 miles and didn't make it...ended at 6 so I felt very disappointed!! I think I purposely didn't think about it because I didn't want to stress myself out...and even as I start running told myself I wasn't going to think about it. Mom and I discussed and even though I was hitting the road at 5:30-5:45 by the time I ended it would be dark so I ran in my old neighborhood by the lakes which has some great routes and honestly was perfect because I really didn't have too much elevation to deal which...little bit but nothing like my neighborhood. She was going to catch up with me after her walk to check on me...I had a pretty good loop I started doing and doing it 2 and 1/2 times essentially would get me to the 8 miles. After the first loop...stopped at my car and had my first GU (I would describe it almost as frosting). It gives you the cals and caffeine to keep you going...but also has to be followed by water. Once done off again for another loop...still no sign of mom....keep going and feeling pretty good...at 5 miles...I felt tired...my legs were tired it was dark...and I was just ready to be done and mom still hadn't found me. Guess we didn't plan this right...then at just 5.5 miles she found me....I think there was relief for both of us...for her I wasn't dead in a gutter and for me I wanted water :) our priorities right :) So my blessed mom leap frogged me in her car for the remaining 2.5 miles (about 45 minutes) keeping a watch out for me....it was good distraction but also my controls on the new shuffle broke and of course on the part that lets me adjust volume....so what? huh? I'm now deaf because it was on the loudest volume for the last 3 miles. She never mentioned this to me but there was one point during that last mile where I had my head down and was so focused that I think my inner brain told me (samurai warrier to look up just as I was about to run head on into a parked car...ah warrior you have passed :) I have to believe my mom was watching in horror or just on the phone with no clue...honestly I have a feeling the latter...it's funny to me overall..she was still looking out for me "for the most part"...more from rapist and kidnappers...not me myself destructively running into a parked car. :) So anyway as I was finishing she got out of the car and ran the last few yards with me....it was great and I was DONE! I got in my car and drove home...the whole way with my visor completely drenched and actually chilly with the top down and sweat soaked shirt. I actually was thinking...I don't feel much pain or stiffness...maybe my body is adjusting. I get home and get out of the car...or should I say tried to get out of the car.....who else can say it took them almost 2 minutes just to stand up and get out the car? Huh who? So much for thinking I was golden...any way I am golden..I did 8 and that's another mile mark...I'm lathered up in icy/hot and going to go hit the sack...and smile :)

Less than 5 weeks to go....

Steph