Last weekend Taylor came into town to celebrate my 30th birthday again! She is the best!! This time around I dare to say I was more fun than last time because I don't have to care for the ileostomy anymore (that thing stressed me out). It was much needed Taylor time! My life is finally getting to a healthy chapter and she is about to start a different chapter in hers. It's awesome to see her dreams becoming a reality! Our friendship finds a way to grow through these different chapters of life and I love that.
Dana and I had a belated birthday celebration with some of the MarathonFest ladies while Taylor was in town. We went to dinner downtown and saw a show at Sak Comedy. Special shout-out to Lynn for celebrating my birthday again!
Taylor started a vlog! Check it out and subscribe to follow along as she begins a new chapter.
This is the video she made during her visit for my birthday:
https://youtu.be/0v7IrOcP91Y
Showing posts with label MarathonFest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MarathonFest. Show all posts
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Sub-Two or Bust
I signed up for the summer/fall season of MarathonFest!
When I joined MarathonFest in the summer/fall of 2016 to train for the NYC Marathon, I was rushed to get to 10 miles after my minor surgery in April of 2016. Desperately trying to feel better, I switched from Cimzia to Remicade during that time as well. I basically had two months to go from being out of shape to being able to run 10 miles in order to keep up with the the NYC training schedule once the season started in 2016.
I want to do it differently this time around. I don't want to be rushed. I plan on sticking with half marathons this season and at the moment I'm only registered for one. Rather than starting when the season starts in June, I currently plan to build most of my running base outside of MarathonFest for the next few months. I want to get faster so that I will be able to join a faster pace group. I'm aiming to start running with them regularly in September when my mileage increases for half marathon training. My goal for the OUC Half Marathon in December is to finish in under two hours. That means I would need to average a 9:09 pace for 13.1 miles. I can only run one mile at that pace. In fact, my first mile today was a 9:04. (my second mile was a 9:47). I have a little over six months to train hard and build the endurance it will take to maintain the pace during my first mile today for twelve more miles. This seems realistic, right?
When I achieve a sub-two hour half marathon, I will seriously consider committing to train to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I hate commitment, but this kind of excites me!
When I joined MarathonFest in the summer/fall of 2016 to train for the NYC Marathon, I was rushed to get to 10 miles after my minor surgery in April of 2016. Desperately trying to feel better, I switched from Cimzia to Remicade during that time as well. I basically had two months to go from being out of shape to being able to run 10 miles in order to keep up with the the NYC training schedule once the season started in 2016.
I want to do it differently this time around. I don't want to be rushed. I plan on sticking with half marathons this season and at the moment I'm only registered for one. Rather than starting when the season starts in June, I currently plan to build most of my running base outside of MarathonFest for the next few months. I want to get faster so that I will be able to join a faster pace group. I'm aiming to start running with them regularly in September when my mileage increases for half marathon training. My goal for the OUC Half Marathon in December is to finish in under two hours. That means I would need to average a 9:09 pace for 13.1 miles. I can only run one mile at that pace. In fact, my first mile today was a 9:04. (my second mile was a 9:47). I have a little over six months to train hard and build the endurance it will take to maintain the pace during my first mile today for twelve more miles. This seems realistic, right?
When I achieve a sub-two hour half marathon, I will seriously consider committing to train to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I hate commitment, but this kind of excites me!
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Need for Speed!
It has been three days since I ran the 5K on Saturday and I am still experiencing a runner's high. A bunch of women from my MarathonFest pace group ran the Lady Track Shack 5K. Prior to the start of the race, when we were discussing everyone's race strategy, I boldly confessed that I turned off the intervals on my watch. Yes, I planned to run the whole 5K without walking. No one else wanted to join me in my endeavor to run my ass off, so I left them in the dust as soon as I crossed the start line.
A few days before the race, I told my ugly stepsister that my unrealistic goal was a sub 28 minute 5K.
For the first mile, I wasted a lot of energy weaving in and out of the slower people. Thankfully, after the first mile, I was around runners maintaining a steady 8:45 per mile pace. Since I haven't been speed training my pace was all over the place, so I used the lady in front of me as a pacer.There was a water stop around the halfway point, but I decided to keep hauling ass instead of stopping for water. Right before I reached mile three, I was sucking wind trying to catch my breath from running faster than I've ran in years. I know I slowed down a little towards the end. Although as soon as I rounded the corner and saw the finish line I sprinted to cross the line! I finished in 27.42!!!! I ran the 5K about two to three minutes faster than most of the ladies in my pace group. I'm a little shocked that I actually ran a sub 28 minute 5K! I'm not sure what my 5K PR was, but I'm going to say this may have been the fastest 5K I've ran under my name. My average pace was 8:54 minutes per mile. I placed 171 out of 2,263 participants, which means I finished in the top ten percent! Imagine how much faster I could have ran the 5K if I trained for speed.
Even though I love my pace group, I think it's time to start pushing the pace outside of my comfort zone. I plan to dabble in a faster pace group this MarathonFest session. I ran one mile tonight in 8 minutes and 20 seconds. I think I could have ran faster if the cold weather didn't burn my lungs. The pace group I currently run with averages 10:30 - 11:30 minutes per mile. I know I can be fast, I just don't know how to train to maintain a consistent fast pace during longer runs. I would love to train for a sub 25 minute 5k, a sub 2 hour half marathon, a sub 4 hour marathon...or a BQ (Boston Qualifying time)!
A few days before the race, I told my ugly stepsister that my unrealistic goal was a sub 28 minute 5K.
For the first mile, I wasted a lot of energy weaving in and out of the slower people. Thankfully, after the first mile, I was around runners maintaining a steady 8:45 per mile pace. Since I haven't been speed training my pace was all over the place, so I used the lady in front of me as a pacer.There was a water stop around the halfway point, but I decided to keep hauling ass instead of stopping for water. Right before I reached mile three, I was sucking wind trying to catch my breath from running faster than I've ran in years. I know I slowed down a little towards the end. Although as soon as I rounded the corner and saw the finish line I sprinted to cross the line! I finished in 27.42!!!! I ran the 5K about two to three minutes faster than most of the ladies in my pace group. I'm a little shocked that I actually ran a sub 28 minute 5K! I'm not sure what my 5K PR was, but I'm going to say this may have been the fastest 5K I've ran under my name. My average pace was 8:54 minutes per mile. I placed 171 out of 2,263 participants, which means I finished in the top ten percent! Imagine how much faster I could have ran the 5K if I trained for speed.
Even though I love my pace group, I think it's time to start pushing the pace outside of my comfort zone. I plan to dabble in a faster pace group this MarathonFest session. I ran one mile tonight in 8 minutes and 20 seconds. I think I could have ran faster if the cold weather didn't burn my lungs. The pace group I currently run with averages 10:30 - 11:30 minutes per mile. I know I can be fast, I just don't know how to train to maintain a consistent fast pace during longer runs. I would love to train for a sub 25 minute 5k, a sub 2 hour half marathon, a sub 4 hour marathon...or a BQ (Boston Qualifying time)!
Thursday, January 19, 2017
"Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy for running."
I have a lot going on that I'm not mentally prepared to blog about yet. Let's talk about running instead.
We are already nineteen days into the new year, and so far I've only ran twice this year. The first time was at the marathon I ran on the eighth and the second time being this morning. To tell the truth, I needed a break from running. I trained hard for more than six months and towards the end of last year I wasn't enjoying it as much I usually do. I felt a burnt out. It felt like a chore. I don't know who said "Run often. Run long. But never out run your joy for running.", but they are right! Maybe it was post race blues, or maybe I was over training.
Anyway, the break did me good. I signed up for the next session of MarathonFest, which started this week. I woke up at 4AM and made it to the early run with my trusted running crew today. I needed the run this morning. I have been so stressed about my uncle's death, my crazy work schedule, and fighting a cold that the hour of running this morning helped relieve some stress. After my run this morning, I went to the gym to shower and get ready for work. OMG! I forgot my shower shoes, so I decided showering at the gym in socks would be better than showing bare foot. I put my disgustingly soaked soaks in the trash when I was done. It was a nightmare and now I'm super worried my feet are going to get funky. As soon as I got home tonight I put my shower shoes in my gym bag and scrubbed my feet clean. I will never forget them again!!!
Although I'm not training for anything specific this session (except a few 5Ks, but I don't count those as races I have to train for), I'm sure I'll find some half marathons to run before the session ends in May. I'm looking forward to running for fun again!
We are already nineteen days into the new year, and so far I've only ran twice this year. The first time was at the marathon I ran on the eighth and the second time being this morning. To tell the truth, I needed a break from running. I trained hard for more than six months and towards the end of last year I wasn't enjoying it as much I usually do. I felt a burnt out. It felt like a chore. I don't know who said "Run often. Run long. But never out run your joy for running.", but they are right! Maybe it was post race blues, or maybe I was over training.
Anyway, the break did me good. I signed up for the next session of MarathonFest, which started this week. I woke up at 4AM and made it to the early run with my trusted running crew today. I needed the run this morning. I have been so stressed about my uncle's death, my crazy work schedule, and fighting a cold that the hour of running this morning helped relieve some stress. After my run this morning, I went to the gym to shower and get ready for work. OMG! I forgot my shower shoes, so I decided showering at the gym in socks would be better than showing bare foot. I put my disgustingly soaked soaks in the trash when I was done. It was a nightmare and now I'm super worried my feet are going to get funky. As soon as I got home tonight I put my shower shoes in my gym bag and scrubbed my feet clean. I will never forget them again!!!
Although I'm not training for anything specific this session (except a few 5Ks, but I don't count those as races I have to train for), I'm sure I'll find some half marathons to run before the session ends in May. I'm looking forward to running for fun again!
Monday, January 9, 2017
The Walt Disney Marathon Weekend
Wednesday, January 4th, 2017:
After work, I drove to meet my ugly stepsister (Michelle W.) at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports to pick up our race packets and to try to get moved to a better corral. Thankfully, we were able to get moved to three corrals better! Before we left, I mentioned that I wished my bestie was going to be at the race, but I was still thankful my sister Kim was going to be there. We took a selfie before saying goodbye. Once I got to my car I texted the selfie to Taylor letting her know I picked up my race packet!!
Thursday, January 5th, 2017:
My supervisor and I are so busy that executive management has approved me to work any overtime I want in the hopes that we will be able to catch up without hiring an assistant. After work, I got a cute haircut and my best friend came into town. We hadn't seen each other since our trip to NYC, so it was awesome to get time with Taylor! Before we went to dinner, we opened our Christmas gifts! Then, she surprised me by dressing up as Cinderella and announcing that she was going to go to the marathon and cheer me on! She was going to be my ugly stepsister's and my Cinderella!!!!
Last month, when we made plans for her to come visit for her job interview/hair appointment, I was really disappointed when she said she was going to sleep in and drive home on Sunday (race day) because she couldn't wake up at 2AM, cheer for me at the race, and then drive 3+ hours home. I hated the fact that she would rather sleep in and be rested for her long drive home (even though I know she hates driving) than to wake up at an ungodly hour and be bored while waiting for me to run another marathon. She just saw me at the NYC Marathon. Am I really that selfish? Umm, maybe, but in my defense having someone at the finish line is awesome motivation! I felt pretty bad about letting her let me down, but that didn't stop me from asking again multiple times if she was sure she didn't want to go to the race. Each time, to my complete disappointment, she declined. Heck, the last minute selfie with my ugly stepsister after picking up our packets didn't even change her mind. Meanwhile the whole time she was planning to go to the race dressed as Cinderella!!! I was speechless!
Friday, January 6th, 2017:
I went to work and left at 2PM to go home and prep for my colon and rectal specialist appointment. Taylor had an interview in the morning. She went with me to my Dr. appointment and afterwards we went to a place called Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! I got The All Nighter, which is coffee with coffee liquer, and I got the Better Than Sex dessert, which is bread pudding in like a chocolate cake/brownie. It was amazing! Taylor had wine and some kind of cookie with ice cream. After Better Than Sex, we went to BJ's Restaurant for a drink and some pizza!
My colon and rectal appointment went surprisingly well. It always surprises me when it goes well. My stricture barely needed any flexing. It didn't even hurt when the doc put her finger up my rectum to flex it. I don't have to go back until SIX MONTHS!!! My butt didn't bleed after and I wasn't sore or in pain either. I could totally get used to that!
Saturday, January 7th, 2017
RunDisney cancelled the half marathon and kid races and delayed race related activities like the expo until 11AM due severe weather. It was rainy, Taylor hates to drive, and I can't get enough time with Taylor, so I drove Taylor on an errand before driving her to her hair appointment! I jammed out in the car mentally preparing for the race while I waited for her to get her hair done. I would imagine waiting for a two hour hair appointment is easier than waiting on a 6+ hour marathon. I was tempted to cheer for her when she returned to the car, but instead I just gave her some fruit I got at Wawa while she was getting her hair done because I knew she must be hungry. Once we got back home, we ate lunch, went over some wedding details, and made some DIY bridal shower things. Thank goodness she's helping because she made it so easy! I'm sure I would have complicated the shit out of modge podging glitter on vases. We watched the movie Bad Moms... okay, Taylor watched the movie while I got all my race stuff ready. My family ordered Olive Garden to go and Taylor and I watched the movie Dear John...okay, Taylor watched the movie while I was WhatsApp messaging my running friends to see where everyone was going to be on the course. Most of my group was volunteering at the race, while a few others were going to cheer on the few of us actually running the marathon. We also messaged complaints about the freaking cold weather. More on that in a minute. We stopped the movie short and went to bed around 8PM.
Sunday, January 8th, 2017:
Wake up call at 2AM! I jumped right out of bed to get ready for race day! Kim, Taylor, and I left the house around 2:40AM and we were parked at Epcot by 3:15AM. They start closing roads at 3:30AM, so it's best to get there early and not deal with road closures. My ugly step sister stayed on Disney property, so I met her in the starting area. Security was actually kind of a joke. Sure they had a bag check line where security inspected bags, but I easily went through the no bag line with my flip belt hidden underneath my sweats. As soon as I saw Michelle I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say anything. Maybe she just did an excellent job on her makeup for the ugly stepsister. The first thing she told me was that she vomited last night after dinner and again race morning on her bus ride to the start area. She was a mess. Right away, I took her bag that she was going to check and carried it for her and we went to find a porta-potty with a short line. It was fucking FREEZING!!! Literally the feel like temperature was 24 degrees! After we went to the bathroom, she pulled out heat sheets for us from her bag! She was so out of it that I had to help her wrap her heat sheet around her because the wind kept blowing it up so that it wouldn't lay flat on her back. Those things were life savers because it blocked the wind from chilling us to our bones. I continued to carry her stuff while we walked to the self aid station to see if they had water. While she was talking to a medic her Drisella bow fell off her head and I grabbed it to hold so that she wouldn't lose it. At this point, I'm mentally preparing to give up a chance at a PR if I have to in order to stay with her to make sure she finishes her first marathon.
Once we checked her bag (I didn't bring a bag to check because I gave Kim and Taylor the shit I might need and the car wasn't parked too far away from the finish), we hit the porta-potties one more time before starting our 20 minute walk in the freezing cold to our start corral. At this point I'm still carrying her bow and feeling bad that she's sick on this one day that she has worked her ass off training for the past five months! I gave her bow when we got inside our corral and she slowly started pulling herself together.
We crossed the start line and she talked a little, but not as much as usual. *red flag* When Michelle is quiet that means she's not doing well. We actually passed another lady in our group right before mile two. It's always cool to see people you know on the course. Once we passed mile three, I learned Kim and Taylor were confused about where they were supposed to be seeing us on the course. Oh well, as much as I wanted to direct them to where they were supposed to be I had other things on my mind (don't lose Michelle in the crowd). Michelle used bib magnets to hook her race bib to her shirt, but she lost some and her bib wasn't staying on. So, I took off one of the safety pins on my bib and gave it to her to use. In the process, she dropped one of her gloves. Thankfully, it wasn't too far back on the ground and she was able to find it. We took off our sweatshirts at mile four and then stopped at porta-potties in the MK parking lot for Michelle. I held her sweatshirt and waited for her because I didn't have to go. Gatorade made her nauseous so she was only taking water and salt tablets. One of our running friends was on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, which was awesome!! I went live on Facebook as we ran through Cinderella's Castle!
Instead of seeing us at MK, Kim and Taylor just went to the Polynesian where I'm sure they waited forever in the cold judging by Kim's text she sent when we were passing mile seven: "Where the fuck are you". Michelle and I were averaging like 3 minutes slower per mile than our typical training pace. We finally saw Kim and Taylor at mile 7.7 where they cheered us on and I gave them my jacket to hold. After we passed them, Michelle told me that I could leave her because she was slowing me down. Prior to this she had already mentioned her fear of the balloon ladies passing us. The balloon ladies set the pace for the slowest pace you can maintain and still be allowed to finish. If the balloon ladies pass you, you get picked up by a bus. Since I had been passed by the balloon ladies and picked up by the bus in 2013, I knew I couldn't leave Michelle if she was already having these thoughts by mile 8. I know the disappointment of a DNF (did not finish) and I was not going to let that happen to her. I could live without a PR, but I would be extremely disappointed if I left her and she didn't finish. I had to talk more than usual, so I told her about how Taylor and I met and how we became best friends. She couldn't believe I didn't get a birthday card for Taylor when I went to Blue Man Group for Taylor's birthday. Sorry, Taylor!
I stopped at a bathroom inside Animal Kingdom while Michelle kept walking. I didn't want her to stop moving if she didn't have to, so I told her to walk ahead and I would catch up. It seemed like the line for the bathroom took forever. As soon as I was done I took off and passed the halfway point (13.1) running really fast to try to find Michelle on the course. Thankfully, she messaged me saying she was in front of the Dino ride and sure enough I looked up ahead and saw her. We chugged along and came across our group leaders right before mile 16 where they were standing on an overpass cheering the racers on. They gave us big hugs and even brought snacks. They are amazing group leaders!!! They are invested in everyone's success and we couldn't ask for a better running group.
While we approached ESPN Wide World of Sports I told Michelle this is the worst stretch of the race. I told her about my AAU National Basketball Tournament that I played at ESPN when I was 13 and all about being a great basketball player back in the day and she even found the strength to tell me a few stories as well. As we were coming out of ESPN approaching mile 21 we saw the balloon ladies pass us as they were going into ESPN on the course, which meant that the balloon ladies were 4 miles behind us. There were times I glanced at Michelle and I could tell she was about to cry or had been crying. I could tell she doubted she was going to finish. This was right around the point in race I got picked up in 2013, so it was an emotional period for me too. I felt so bad for Michelle and I wasn't entirely sure what she needed or what else I could do to encourage her. Was she tired of me saying that "We are going to make it", "You are going to become a marathoner today"! Knowing we were averaging 15 minute miles (course pace requires at most 16 minutes per mile), by mile 23 I knew that even if we walked the rest of the way that we would make it. Around that time, I put my arm around her and said something like "You are going to finish this fucking marathon! We can walk the rest of the way and you will still be a marathoner!" We walked hills, but otherwise I kept running hoping she would too...and she did, she followed me. I looked back every few steps to make sure she was still with me. I felt like somehow I was pulling her with me!
I know when we entered Epcot, she finally believed she was going to finish. We ran around the world and took a walk break before running to the mile 26 marker. We saw Kim and Taylor right before the grand stand seating cheering us towards the finish line, yay!!! We even saw Michelle's wife and son in the grand stands waving at us! As we approached the finish line Michelle asked if we could hold hands and cross. So we put our hands over our heads victoriously and crossed the finish line hand in hand!!!
If we weren't friends before the race, we are certainly friends now. Seriously, helping a friend cross the finish line beats a PR any day! I played this scenario out in my head before race day and every time I thought I would choose a PR over slowing down to stay with someone, but in the moment I made a different decision entirely and I don't regret it one bit. That unexpected, awkwardly HUGE hug says it all! She said that without me she would not have finished. I know running a marathon is never easy, especially when you don't feel well.
Two ladies in our group (Michelle S. and Cindy) were volunteering at the finish line handing out heat sheets. They were screaming for us and it was awesome!!! After we got our medals and heat sheets, we picked up Michelle W's bag from bag check and met her family briefly before a medic came with a wheel chair and wheeled her to the medical tent. On our way to the medical tent, I found Taylor and Kim. They were good sports, helped carry our bags, and followed us to the medical tent. Michelle was very nauseous and likely a little dehydrated. She was totally not herself. Michelle's family found us again in the medical tent. We stayed for a few minutes, and then I gave all of Michelle's stuff to her wife. I hated to leave while she was so down, but I had a Cinderella photo op with my best friend awaiting me.
The moment you've all been waiting for... one ugly stepsister was too sick for this memorable picture, but this still made my day!!! Taylor is the best! Mind you, it was still freaking cold when we took this picture! I want to send a BIG thank you to Kim and Taylor for being at the race to cheer me on! It means the world that you would waste your Sunday freezing your ass off just so you could cheer me on!! This was my fifth marathon (not counting the one I DNF)! My first run of 2017 and not likely my last run any time soon!
After work, I drove to meet my ugly stepsister (Michelle W.) at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports to pick up our race packets and to try to get moved to a better corral. Thankfully, we were able to get moved to three corrals better! Before we left, I mentioned that I wished my bestie was going to be at the race, but I was still thankful my sister Kim was going to be there. We took a selfie before saying goodbye. Once I got to my car I texted the selfie to Taylor letting her know I picked up my race packet!!
Thursday, January 5th, 2017:
My supervisor and I are so busy that executive management has approved me to work any overtime I want in the hopes that we will be able to catch up without hiring an assistant. After work, I got a cute haircut and my best friend came into town. We hadn't seen each other since our trip to NYC, so it was awesome to get time with Taylor! Before we went to dinner, we opened our Christmas gifts! Then, she surprised me by dressing up as Cinderella and announcing that she was going to go to the marathon and cheer me on! She was going to be my ugly stepsister's and my Cinderella!!!!
Last month, when we made plans for her to come visit for her job interview/hair appointment, I was really disappointed when she said she was going to sleep in and drive home on Sunday (race day) because she couldn't wake up at 2AM, cheer for me at the race, and then drive 3+ hours home. I hated the fact that she would rather sleep in and be rested for her long drive home (even though I know she hates driving) than to wake up at an ungodly hour and be bored while waiting for me to run another marathon. She just saw me at the NYC Marathon. Am I really that selfish? Umm, maybe, but in my defense having someone at the finish line is awesome motivation! I felt pretty bad about letting her let me down, but that didn't stop me from asking again multiple times if she was sure she didn't want to go to the race. Each time, to my complete disappointment, she declined. Heck, the last minute selfie with my ugly stepsister after picking up our packets didn't even change her mind. Meanwhile the whole time she was planning to go to the race dressed as Cinderella!!! I was speechless!
Friday, January 6th, 2017:
I went to work and left at 2PM to go home and prep for my colon and rectal specialist appointment. Taylor had an interview in the morning. She went with me to my Dr. appointment and afterwards we went to a place called Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! I got The All Nighter, which is coffee with coffee liquer, and I got the Better Than Sex dessert, which is bread pudding in like a chocolate cake/brownie. It was amazing! Taylor had wine and some kind of cookie with ice cream. After Better Than Sex, we went to BJ's Restaurant for a drink and some pizza!
My colon and rectal appointment went surprisingly well. It always surprises me when it goes well. My stricture barely needed any flexing. It didn't even hurt when the doc put her finger up my rectum to flex it. I don't have to go back until SIX MONTHS!!! My butt didn't bleed after and I wasn't sore or in pain either. I could totally get used to that!
Saturday, January 7th, 2017
Sunday, January 8th, 2017:
Wake up call at 2AM! I jumped right out of bed to get ready for race day! Kim, Taylor, and I left the house around 2:40AM and we were parked at Epcot by 3:15AM. They start closing roads at 3:30AM, so it's best to get there early and not deal with road closures. My ugly step sister stayed on Disney property, so I met her in the starting area. Security was actually kind of a joke. Sure they had a bag check line where security inspected bags, but I easily went through the no bag line with my flip belt hidden underneath my sweats. As soon as I saw Michelle I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say anything. Maybe she just did an excellent job on her makeup for the ugly stepsister. The first thing she told me was that she vomited last night after dinner and again race morning on her bus ride to the start area. She was a mess. Right away, I took her bag that she was going to check and carried it for her and we went to find a porta-potty with a short line. It was fucking FREEZING!!! Literally the feel like temperature was 24 degrees! After we went to the bathroom, she pulled out heat sheets for us from her bag! She was so out of it that I had to help her wrap her heat sheet around her because the wind kept blowing it up so that it wouldn't lay flat on her back. Those things were life savers because it blocked the wind from chilling us to our bones. I continued to carry her stuff while we walked to the self aid station to see if they had water. While she was talking to a medic her Drisella bow fell off her head and I grabbed it to hold so that she wouldn't lose it. At this point, I'm mentally preparing to give up a chance at a PR if I have to in order to stay with her to make sure she finishes her first marathon.
Once we checked her bag (I didn't bring a bag to check because I gave Kim and Taylor the shit I might need and the car wasn't parked too far away from the finish), we hit the porta-potties one more time before starting our 20 minute walk in the freezing cold to our start corral. At this point I'm still carrying her bow and feeling bad that she's sick on this one day that she has worked her ass off training for the past five months! I gave her bow when we got inside our corral and she slowly started pulling herself together.
We crossed the start line and she talked a little, but not as much as usual. *red flag* When Michelle is quiet that means she's not doing well. We actually passed another lady in our group right before mile two. It's always cool to see people you know on the course. Once we passed mile three, I learned Kim and Taylor were confused about where they were supposed to be seeing us on the course. Oh well, as much as I wanted to direct them to where they were supposed to be I had other things on my mind (don't lose Michelle in the crowd). Michelle used bib magnets to hook her race bib to her shirt, but she lost some and her bib wasn't staying on. So, I took off one of the safety pins on my bib and gave it to her to use. In the process, she dropped one of her gloves. Thankfully, it wasn't too far back on the ground and she was able to find it. We took off our sweatshirts at mile four and then stopped at porta-potties in the MK parking lot for Michelle. I held her sweatshirt and waited for her because I didn't have to go. Gatorade made her nauseous so she was only taking water and salt tablets. One of our running friends was on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, which was awesome!! I went live on Facebook as we ran through Cinderella's Castle!
 |
| The Ugly Stepsisters stormed the castle!! |
Instead of seeing us at MK, Kim and Taylor just went to the Polynesian where I'm sure they waited forever in the cold judging by Kim's text she sent when we were passing mile seven: "Where the fuck are you". Michelle and I were averaging like 3 minutes slower per mile than our typical training pace. We finally saw Kim and Taylor at mile 7.7 where they cheered us on and I gave them my jacket to hold. After we passed them, Michelle told me that I could leave her because she was slowing me down. Prior to this she had already mentioned her fear of the balloon ladies passing us. The balloon ladies set the pace for the slowest pace you can maintain and still be allowed to finish. If the balloon ladies pass you, you get picked up by a bus. Since I had been passed by the balloon ladies and picked up by the bus in 2013, I knew I couldn't leave Michelle if she was already having these thoughts by mile 8. I know the disappointment of a DNF (did not finish) and I was not going to let that happen to her. I could live without a PR, but I would be extremely disappointed if I left her and she didn't finish. I had to talk more than usual, so I told her about how Taylor and I met and how we became best friends. She couldn't believe I didn't get a birthday card for Taylor when I went to Blue Man Group for Taylor's birthday. Sorry, Taylor!
I stopped at a bathroom inside Animal Kingdom while Michelle kept walking. I didn't want her to stop moving if she didn't have to, so I told her to walk ahead and I would catch up. It seemed like the line for the bathroom took forever. As soon as I was done I took off and passed the halfway point (13.1) running really fast to try to find Michelle on the course. Thankfully, she messaged me saying she was in front of the Dino ride and sure enough I looked up ahead and saw her. We chugged along and came across our group leaders right before mile 16 where they were standing on an overpass cheering the racers on. They gave us big hugs and even brought snacks. They are amazing group leaders!!! They are invested in everyone's success and we couldn't ask for a better running group.
 |
| I'm not sure how she managed to smile here. |
I know when we entered Epcot, she finally believed she was going to finish. We ran around the world and took a walk break before running to the mile 26 marker. We saw Kim and Taylor right before the grand stand seating cheering us towards the finish line, yay!!! We even saw Michelle's wife and son in the grand stands waving at us! As we approached the finish line Michelle asked if we could hold hands and cross. So we put our hands over our heads victoriously and crossed the finish line hand in hand!!!
If we weren't friends before the race, we are certainly friends now. Seriously, helping a friend cross the finish line beats a PR any day! I played this scenario out in my head before race day and every time I thought I would choose a PR over slowing down to stay with someone, but in the moment I made a different decision entirely and I don't regret it one bit. That unexpected, awkwardly HUGE hug says it all! She said that without me she would not have finished. I know running a marathon is never easy, especially when you don't feel well. Two ladies in our group (Michelle S. and Cindy) were volunteering at the finish line handing out heat sheets. They were screaming for us and it was awesome!!! After we got our medals and heat sheets, we picked up Michelle W's bag from bag check and met her family briefly before a medic came with a wheel chair and wheeled her to the medical tent. On our way to the medical tent, I found Taylor and Kim. They were good sports, helped carry our bags, and followed us to the medical tent. Michelle was very nauseous and likely a little dehydrated. She was totally not herself. Michelle's family found us again in the medical tent. We stayed for a few minutes, and then I gave all of Michelle's stuff to her wife. I hated to leave while she was so down, but I had a Cinderella photo op with my best friend awaiting me.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Runner's High
I'm going to just jump right into this post. I ran the Space Coast Half Marathon on Sunday, November 27th in 2:28: 06. It was a good race with three ladies from my MarathonFest group. It's never fun to race while I'm on my period, but I made the most of it. No real cramps; however, around mile 9 I started to slow down because I wasn't feeling well. I finished a few minutes after the other ladies in my group and caught up with them for a picture after the race. We enjoyed some post race chocolate milk and soon afterwards I found myself in a porta-potty barfing the chocolate milk and perhaps even dinner the night before. The girls were great. One of them gave me a baby wipe so that I could clean up a bit, and then they walked with me to get some water. I cut the post race party sort because I wasn't feeling well. I wanted to wait for Kim to cheer her on at the finish line, but instead I texted her to tell her that I got sick and I would wait for her in the car. I was really happy with a sub 2:30 half marathon! I'm really happy to see my hard work of training for the last several months paying off.
Less than a week after the Space Coast Half, I ran the OUC Half Marathon on Saturday, December 3rd. I met a few people from my running group for a group photo before the race. Almost everyone split off and did their own thing except for Michelle (my Ugly Stepsister), Sara, and I. Sara stayed with Michelle and I until mile 6, and then she let us take off. She did catch us briefly while I was enjoying my second cup of beer along the course right before mile 10, but again she told us to go ahead. I was actually the one pacing us most of the race. Even though we talked about how we were feeling every mile or so to see if we needed to adjust the pace, we both agreed to keep pushing. We posted a 10 minute mile during the seventh mile of the race. After that, I tried to make an effort to slow down a little. Michelle makes running fun by talking nonstop, telling stories, telling jokes, and getting to know the runners around us. She forgot her salt tablets and I knew when she got quiet around mile 10.5 that she wasn't at 100%. She didn't say she was struggling and I kept a steady pace even though there were times I had to look back to make sure I didn't lose her. Once we turned the final corner and had the finish line in sight, she said "Go, Lauren, go!" I knew that was her telling me to take off and sprint towards the finish line. I finished in 2:24:55!!! Another sub 2:30 half! Plus, it was over 3 minutes faster than the Space Coast Half the week before. Michelle didn't finish too far behind me. I went to give her a high five right after she crossed the finish line and she opened her arms and gave me the biggest hug. She thanked me for pushing her and said that if it wasn't for me she wouldn't have been able to post the time she did. Afterwards, she told me that she was cramping up (salt tablets help prevent her cramps), but didn't want to say anything because she didn't want to slow me down.
OUC was a great test run since we plan to run the Disney Marathon together. Racing is always different from training runs, so it was good to race together and see if we want to change our strategy. I have mad respect for the way she pushed through the discomfort and finished strong. We agreed that our pace will be intentionally slower at Disney. I'm thankful to have someone to run with that pushes me as much as I push her. Since we are part of a Track Shack training program, we had VIP access, which included fancy porta-potties, and an area with food, tables and chairs.We met up with Sandra from our group and we enjoyed the sandwiches and cookies in the VIP area. I met Michelle's wife, son, and brother. It was great to finally meet her wife whose brother is struggling with Crohn's. We chatted about his current situation and medication and I gave what advice I could knowing that everyone's disease is different. She thinks that I represent the hope of the good days that are ahead for him, and I pray he finds relief from the horrible symptoms of Crohn's disease. He is also a runner and I completely understand the separate pain that can come from not being able to do what you love. Although I'm beyond grateful for my health, I can't help but have a sense of survival guilt. I am not taking these healthy days for granted.
Ragnar Trail Relay is up next!
Less than a week after the Space Coast Half, I ran the OUC Half Marathon on Saturday, December 3rd. I met a few people from my running group for a group photo before the race. Almost everyone split off and did their own thing except for Michelle (my Ugly Stepsister), Sara, and I. Sara stayed with Michelle and I until mile 6, and then she let us take off. She did catch us briefly while I was enjoying my second cup of beer along the course right before mile 10, but again she told us to go ahead. I was actually the one pacing us most of the race. Even though we talked about how we were feeling every mile or so to see if we needed to adjust the pace, we both agreed to keep pushing. We posted a 10 minute mile during the seventh mile of the race. After that, I tried to make an effort to slow down a little. Michelle makes running fun by talking nonstop, telling stories, telling jokes, and getting to know the runners around us. She forgot her salt tablets and I knew when she got quiet around mile 10.5 that she wasn't at 100%. She didn't say she was struggling and I kept a steady pace even though there were times I had to look back to make sure I didn't lose her. Once we turned the final corner and had the finish line in sight, she said "Go, Lauren, go!" I knew that was her telling me to take off and sprint towards the finish line. I finished in 2:24:55!!! Another sub 2:30 half! Plus, it was over 3 minutes faster than the Space Coast Half the week before. Michelle didn't finish too far behind me. I went to give her a high five right after she crossed the finish line and she opened her arms and gave me the biggest hug. She thanked me for pushing her and said that if it wasn't for me she wouldn't have been able to post the time she did. Afterwards, she told me that she was cramping up (salt tablets help prevent her cramps), but didn't want to say anything because she didn't want to slow me down.
OUC was a great test run since we plan to run the Disney Marathon together. Racing is always different from training runs, so it was good to race together and see if we want to change our strategy. I have mad respect for the way she pushed through the discomfort and finished strong. We agreed that our pace will be intentionally slower at Disney. I'm thankful to have someone to run with that pushes me as much as I push her. Since we are part of a Track Shack training program, we had VIP access, which included fancy porta-potties, and an area with food, tables and chairs.We met up with Sandra from our group and we enjoyed the sandwiches and cookies in the VIP area. I met Michelle's wife, son, and brother. It was great to finally meet her wife whose brother is struggling with Crohn's. We chatted about his current situation and medication and I gave what advice I could knowing that everyone's disease is different. She thinks that I represent the hope of the good days that are ahead for him, and I pray he finds relief from the horrible symptoms of Crohn's disease. He is also a runner and I completely understand the separate pain that can come from not being able to do what you love. Although I'm beyond grateful for my health, I can't help but have a sense of survival guilt. I am not taking these healthy days for granted.
Ragnar Trail Relay is up next!
Sunday, November 13, 2016
NYC - Part 2
The Race of a Lifetime:
I was very restless the night before the race. Between the nerves, excitement, and peeing every couple hours because I had been hydrating the night before, I didn't sleep well. One time when I woke up, I checked my smart phone time and compared it to my stupid watch and concluded that my phone did indeed fall back. The final time I woke up was thirty minutes before my alarm was set to go off, but I couldn't get back to sleep. Once 5AM rolled around, I began getting ready. It's always nerve wracking getting ready for a race in a hotel. To my surprise, I don't think I forgot anything. Even though I laid out all of my gear the night before, my pre-run habits were thrown off a bit. I was very slow and methodical as I got ready to embark on what I now consider to be one of the best days of my life. I told Taylor I would see her at the finish line and I left to walk towards the New York Public Library where the start busses pick up tens of thousands of runners.
Runners were already flooding the streets and I just followed the crowd to the back of the library in Bryant Park. This is where they start herding the runners into huge lines that wrap around the block before taking us to the front of the library where we board the marathon busses. At the start of the line, they handed out brand new $28 gloves, which were a sweet start to the morning. There weren't any porta-potties in the area, so I stopped hydrating at this point. I boarded a bus a little after 6AM. It took close to two hours before we unloaded at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. The guy next to me smelled so badly that I was trying not to gag. Unfortunately, the bus didn't have a working bathroom. Guys were peeing in cups on the bus and walking to the front of the bus every time stopped in traffic or at a light to dump out their urine. Runners, we live a glamorous life. Meanwhile I wish I was dude because I had to pee BAD!!! I wasn't the only lady asking how much further until we get there.
It was around 8AM by the time we unloaded off the bus only to discover that we had to wait in the super long security line to into the start village where the porta-potties were located. In the forty-five minutes it took to get through security, I thought I was going to pee myself a few times. Security searched my approved, clear race bag and had me walk through the metal detector. Once I was through security around 8:45AM, I asked where the porta-potties were and made a bee line to them. I nearly cried when I saw the HUGE line for the porta-potties. I kid you not, I had to wait over 40 minutes in the porta-potty line. By the time it was my turn, I don't think I peed so much in my life. I seriously may have peed for two minutes straight, which means I did a two minute squat before the race. My legs were shaking by the time I was done.
At last, a little after 9:30AM I found a place to sit for a few minutes before I got back in line for the porta-potties. I figured I'd want to go before my corral opened around 10:30AM, so I better get in line even if I didn't have to got yet. It worked out perfectly. Once I was done with my second porta-potty stop of the day, it was time for me to head to my corral. I only had to wait about 10 minutes before my corral opened. While I waited I decided to take off my throw away sweats. After I was in my corral at the bottom of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, time stood still and I took it all in. I was interrupted by the guy behind me asking for a kiss for good luck. I put five marathon pickup lines on the back of my shirt. Folks really enjoyed them during the race. #1 seemed to be the favorite.
The start line was kind of a blur. The National Anthem played, the cannons went off, and Wave 4 was on its way. There were military guys close to the start screaming and cheering for us! The bridge was quiet because no spectators were allowed on the bridge. I heard a rumor that advised you not to run near the edge of the bridge if you were on the bottom because the runners from the top pee of the edge and if it's a windy day, you could find it pissing rain. I don't see how that rumor could be true, but I ran on the inside nonetheless.
Once I made my way off the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn, the crowds didn't disappoint. People lined both sides of the street! Brooklyn was the longest and easiest borough. It was flat and fast which made it pass by quickly. I waited in line for a porta-potty around mile 9. My watch was set for 5 and 1 intervals (running for 5 minutes and walking for 1 minute), but I skipped a lot of walk breaks in Brooklyn. That could have been my demise toward the end of the race, but I was caught up in the energy of the crowd. Queens was really short, but this is where my feet started to hurt. I think my activities from the pervious days were catching up to me. The Queensboro Bridge during miles 15-16 sticks out to me. I walked the bridge in an attempt to save my legs for the finish. No spectators were allowed on this bridge either, so I didn't feel bad walking. After mile 16, in Manhattan, I stopped at another porta-potty.
The Queensboro Bridge took me into Manhattan where the roar of the crowd was unlike anything I had ever heard. Manhattan definitely had the biggest crowd. This is where I really started slowing down and taking more walk breaks through the water/Gatorade stops. I really just wanted to take it all in and enjoy every minute of it! I encountered some hills on my way into the Bronx. They say the wall hits you at mile 20. Even though I was hurting, the wall didn't hit me as hard as it usually does at this point in a marathon. At the 20 mile mark, there are only 6.2 miles left. While that may not seem like a lot compared to how many I'd already completed, that is really where the race starts. It's where I give myself a gut check to see much I want it. Back in Manhattan making my way to Central Park, I struggled with the slight incline on the course. After 20 miles an ant hill feels like a mountain. I should have trained on more hills because the bridges and hills kicked my ass. I felt like everyone cheering my name was my friend. The people of New York are really what make this race so special.
I hit the wall at mile 23. I'd like to know who put those freaking hills in the last three miles of the race. I walked a lot, make one last pit stop and put in a new phone battery between miles 23 and 25. Not long after I passed mile 25, I tried going live on Facebook. It was a weak connection, but it connected and that's all that matters. After 25 miles, it's difficult to look good and strong. However, being live on Facebook was good motivation to not look like I was experiencing a lot of pain. Hopefully, it wasn't too boring. Perhaps I should have talked more to make it interesting. I was totally in the zone.
In the last mile, three moments stand out to me. The moment I saw mile 26, the moment I saw Taylor, and the moment I saw the finish line! When Taylor came into sight, words cannot express how great it was to see her. She was cheering me on and the look on her face told me how proud she was of me! I gave her a high five, which has to go down as the best high five in the history of high fives! I took my time to take pictures of the mile markers, Taylor, and the finish line. As I was taking a picture of the finish line, I was overcome with a level of joy I've never felt before. Facebook Live lost connection as soon as I crossed the finish line, but I'm glad everyone that wanted to experience it with me was able to. I didn't cry, I just relished in the moment of victory. No matter how difficult life gets with illness, I can't give up on the possibility of better days ahead. This was my best day! I was strong and healthy and I believe the future holds more days like.
I took pictures and posed for others. A volunteer placed my medal around my neck and I took and posed for more photos. I had to shuffle my way a half mile North to get out of the runner zone around the finish line. Thankfully, I opted for the post race poncho. The poncho is fleece lined and kept me warm on my trek to meet Taylor at the hotel. I was not moving very fast after the race. Everything hurt so good. My feet and legs were on fire. I found the subway I needed, but I had to wait for three trains because it was so crowded. While waiting for the train, I was reading through all of my messages and that's when tears found my cheeks. The support I had from family, friends, and co-workers was incredible! Everyone seemed to understand how much this race meant to me and helped me embrace and celebrate it!
I stopped for coffee on my way back to the hotel, but once I was back Taylor was my hero! She helped me take off my shoes and took care of me! She went to the hotel restaurant and brought up burgers and fries to the room so that I wouldn't have to move. I was super sore after the race. It felt like I ran a marathon or something.
Overall, it was the race of a lifetime. Checked that off my bucket list, but I totally want to do it again! Exploring New York City and sharing the marathon experience with Taylor made it a trip I will never forget. I think we made memories to tell for decades and I absolutely believe we would kick butt on the Amazing Race! THANK YOU, TAYLOR!!!
I was very restless the night before the race. Between the nerves, excitement, and peeing every couple hours because I had been hydrating the night before, I didn't sleep well. One time when I woke up, I checked my smart phone time and compared it to my stupid watch and concluded that my phone did indeed fall back. The final time I woke up was thirty minutes before my alarm was set to go off, but I couldn't get back to sleep. Once 5AM rolled around, I began getting ready. It's always nerve wracking getting ready for a race in a hotel. To my surprise, I don't think I forgot anything. Even though I laid out all of my gear the night before, my pre-run habits were thrown off a bit. I was very slow and methodical as I got ready to embark on what I now consider to be one of the best days of my life. I told Taylor I would see her at the finish line and I left to walk towards the New York Public Library where the start busses pick up tens of thousands of runners.
Runners were already flooding the streets and I just followed the crowd to the back of the library in Bryant Park. This is where they start herding the runners into huge lines that wrap around the block before taking us to the front of the library where we board the marathon busses. At the start of the line, they handed out brand new $28 gloves, which were a sweet start to the morning. There weren't any porta-potties in the area, so I stopped hydrating at this point. I boarded a bus a little after 6AM. It took close to two hours before we unloaded at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. The guy next to me smelled so badly that I was trying not to gag. Unfortunately, the bus didn't have a working bathroom. Guys were peeing in cups on the bus and walking to the front of the bus every time stopped in traffic or at a light to dump out their urine. Runners, we live a glamorous life. Meanwhile I wish I was dude because I had to pee BAD!!! I wasn't the only lady asking how much further until we get there.
It was around 8AM by the time we unloaded off the bus only to discover that we had to wait in the super long security line to into the start village where the porta-potties were located. In the forty-five minutes it took to get through security, I thought I was going to pee myself a few times. Security searched my approved, clear race bag and had me walk through the metal detector. Once I was through security around 8:45AM, I asked where the porta-potties were and made a bee line to them. I nearly cried when I saw the HUGE line for the porta-potties. I kid you not, I had to wait over 40 minutes in the porta-potty line. By the time it was my turn, I don't think I peed so much in my life. I seriously may have peed for two minutes straight, which means I did a two minute squat before the race. My legs were shaking by the time I was done.
At last, a little after 9:30AM I found a place to sit for a few minutes before I got back in line for the porta-potties. I figured I'd want to go before my corral opened around 10:30AM, so I better get in line even if I didn't have to got yet. It worked out perfectly. Once I was done with my second porta-potty stop of the day, it was time for me to head to my corral. I only had to wait about 10 minutes before my corral opened. While I waited I decided to take off my throw away sweats. After I was in my corral at the bottom of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, time stood still and I took it all in. I was interrupted by the guy behind me asking for a kiss for good luck. I put five marathon pickup lines on the back of my shirt. Folks really enjoyed them during the race. #1 seemed to be the favorite.
- Let's finish at the same time
- Do you need a kiss for good luck?
- Who's cheering you on today?
- Is this your first time, too?
- I get lost easily...Can I follow you to the finish?
The start line was kind of a blur. The National Anthem played, the cannons went off, and Wave 4 was on its way. There were military guys close to the start screaming and cheering for us! The bridge was quiet because no spectators were allowed on the bridge. I heard a rumor that advised you not to run near the edge of the bridge if you were on the bottom because the runners from the top pee of the edge and if it's a windy day, you could find it pissing rain. I don't see how that rumor could be true, but I ran on the inside nonetheless.
Once I made my way off the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn, the crowds didn't disappoint. People lined both sides of the street! Brooklyn was the longest and easiest borough. It was flat and fast which made it pass by quickly. I waited in line for a porta-potty around mile 9. My watch was set for 5 and 1 intervals (running for 5 minutes and walking for 1 minute), but I skipped a lot of walk breaks in Brooklyn. That could have been my demise toward the end of the race, but I was caught up in the energy of the crowd. Queens was really short, but this is where my feet started to hurt. I think my activities from the pervious days were catching up to me. The Queensboro Bridge during miles 15-16 sticks out to me. I walked the bridge in an attempt to save my legs for the finish. No spectators were allowed on this bridge either, so I didn't feel bad walking. After mile 16, in Manhattan, I stopped at another porta-potty.
The Queensboro Bridge took me into Manhattan where the roar of the crowd was unlike anything I had ever heard. Manhattan definitely had the biggest crowd. This is where I really started slowing down and taking more walk breaks through the water/Gatorade stops. I really just wanted to take it all in and enjoy every minute of it! I encountered some hills on my way into the Bronx. They say the wall hits you at mile 20. Even though I was hurting, the wall didn't hit me as hard as it usually does at this point in a marathon. At the 20 mile mark, there are only 6.2 miles left. While that may not seem like a lot compared to how many I'd already completed, that is really where the race starts. It's where I give myself a gut check to see much I want it. Back in Manhattan making my way to Central Park, I struggled with the slight incline on the course. After 20 miles an ant hill feels like a mountain. I should have trained on more hills because the bridges and hills kicked my ass. I felt like everyone cheering my name was my friend. The people of New York are really what make this race so special.
I hit the wall at mile 23. I'd like to know who put those freaking hills in the last three miles of the race. I walked a lot, make one last pit stop and put in a new phone battery between miles 23 and 25. Not long after I passed mile 25, I tried going live on Facebook. It was a weak connection, but it connected and that's all that matters. After 25 miles, it's difficult to look good and strong. However, being live on Facebook was good motivation to not look like I was experiencing a lot of pain. Hopefully, it wasn't too boring. Perhaps I should have talked more to make it interesting. I was totally in the zone.
In the last mile, three moments stand out to me. The moment I saw mile 26, the moment I saw Taylor, and the moment I saw the finish line! When Taylor came into sight, words cannot express how great it was to see her. She was cheering me on and the look on her face told me how proud she was of me! I gave her a high five, which has to go down as the best high five in the history of high fives! I took my time to take pictures of the mile markers, Taylor, and the finish line. As I was taking a picture of the finish line, I was overcome with a level of joy I've never felt before. Facebook Live lost connection as soon as I crossed the finish line, but I'm glad everyone that wanted to experience it with me was able to. I didn't cry, I just relished in the moment of victory. No matter how difficult life gets with illness, I can't give up on the possibility of better days ahead. This was my best day! I was strong and healthy and I believe the future holds more days like.
I took pictures and posed for others. A volunteer placed my medal around my neck and I took and posed for more photos. I had to shuffle my way a half mile North to get out of the runner zone around the finish line. Thankfully, I opted for the post race poncho. The poncho is fleece lined and kept me warm on my trek to meet Taylor at the hotel. I was not moving very fast after the race. Everything hurt so good. My feet and legs were on fire. I found the subway I needed, but I had to wait for three trains because it was so crowded. While waiting for the train, I was reading through all of my messages and that's when tears found my cheeks. The support I had from family, friends, and co-workers was incredible! Everyone seemed to understand how much this race meant to me and helped me embrace and celebrate it!
I stopped for coffee on my way back to the hotel, but once I was back Taylor was my hero! She helped me take off my shoes and took care of me! She went to the hotel restaurant and brought up burgers and fries to the room so that I wouldn't have to move. I was super sore after the race. It felt like I ran a marathon or something.
Overall, it was the race of a lifetime. Checked that off my bucket list, but I totally want to do it again! Exploring New York City and sharing the marathon experience with Taylor made it a trip I will never forget. I think we made memories to tell for decades and I absolutely believe we would kick butt on the Amazing Race! THANK YOU, TAYLOR!!!
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Waking Up Before 4AM
By now I'm sure you know that I run with MarathonFest three times a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my alarm goes off at 3:45AM. On Saturdays, my alarm goes off anywhere between 3:15AM and 4:15AM depending on how far we're running that weekend and what time my group is starting. I've been averaging about five to six hours of sleep on nights before my runs. Recently, I was asked how I do it. How do I wake up that early three times a week to run?
There are a couple of factors contributing to my success at waking up so gosh darn early. First, I believe that being in good health is a huge factor. I do not feel fatigued every hour of every day like I used to. I actually feel rested even after only five hours of sleep. Believe it or not, I've only been napping after my long runs on Saturday, and the occasional (maybe once every few weeks) cat nap during my lunch break to keep me fresh for the rest of the day. My increased energy and the fact that I feel amazing makes it relatively easy to wake up. Second, I think the fact that it's been easy for me to jump right out of bed when my alarm goes off at an ungodly hour has a lot to do with how motivated I am to train my best for the NYC Marathon. I don't know if I've ever been more determined to succeed. Sometimes I even wake up before my alarm... that's how excited I am to get to train for NYC!
Whether or not I will wake up when my alarm goes off has not been a question. The decision was made when I won the lottery drawing to get into the NYC Marathon. Don't bother asking me if I'm running... the answer is YES! Not counting my surgery and slight recovery in April, I have only missed two training runs and that was due to period cramps. I got a little behind on my long run distance during the couple of the bad runs I had in the unrelenting Florida heat, but I am officially back on track.
When my alarm goes off, I wake up. I don't hit snooze or lay in bed convincing myself to get up. I don't need to be convinced because I understand that getting out of bed so early to run is a good way to train for the race of my life. So far, I haven't regretted waking up early to run. It's always fun to tell my co-workers that I ran five miles before work or to tell them how far I ran over the weekend.
There are a couple of factors contributing to my success at waking up so gosh darn early. First, I believe that being in good health is a huge factor. I do not feel fatigued every hour of every day like I used to. I actually feel rested even after only five hours of sleep. Believe it or not, I've only been napping after my long runs on Saturday, and the occasional (maybe once every few weeks) cat nap during my lunch break to keep me fresh for the rest of the day. My increased energy and the fact that I feel amazing makes it relatively easy to wake up. Second, I think the fact that it's been easy for me to jump right out of bed when my alarm goes off at an ungodly hour has a lot to do with how motivated I am to train my best for the NYC Marathon. I don't know if I've ever been more determined to succeed. Sometimes I even wake up before my alarm... that's how excited I am to get to train for NYC!
Whether or not I will wake up when my alarm goes off has not been a question. The decision was made when I won the lottery drawing to get into the NYC Marathon. Don't bother asking me if I'm running... the answer is YES! Not counting my surgery and slight recovery in April, I have only missed two training runs and that was due to period cramps. I got a little behind on my long run distance during the couple of the bad runs I had in the unrelenting Florida heat, but I am officially back on track.
When my alarm goes off, I wake up. I don't hit snooze or lay in bed convincing myself to get up. I don't need to be convinced because I understand that getting out of bed so early to run is a good way to train for the race of my life. So far, I haven't regretted waking up early to run. It's always fun to tell my co-workers that I ran five miles before work or to tell them how far I ran over the weekend.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
One Mile at a Time
Prior to this past Saturday, I was keeping up perfectly with my training schedule... and then Saturday's run happened. I was scheduled to run 12 miles, but I quit after a measly 9 miles. The run started unbelievably hot at 5am. It was 85 degrees at the start and that's without calculating in the humidity and feel like temperature. Unfortunately, the sad reality of training for a marathon during the middle of summer in Florida is that the only chance we have for cooler, bearable temperatures is if it rains. Not only was the weather miserable, but my body was also kind of miserable still recovering from the shitty week of stomach pain. During the run I started to experience some stomach pain around mile 4. I was able to run through the pain for the most part though. I think what did me in were the cramps in my legs around mile 8.5. I'm not sure if the cramps were from dehydration or what, but my body was pretty much screaming at me to STOP, so I quit! Anyways, I've got plenty of excuses and I feel like a huge wimp and slacker for deciding to throw in the towel at mile 9.
Now, I find myself behind on training. I'm bummed about it because I've been working so hard to stay on track and one run just completely put me off my target mileage. I'm scheduled to run 14 miles this Saturday, but I know realistically that's not going to happen. Technically, my longest run this season has been 10.5 miles, so 14 miles would be too big of a jump. My new goal for Saturday is to run 12 miles. I seem to be hitting the proverbial wall at mile 9 or 10. I have to dig deep and keep pushing myself in order to reach my goals.
Sometimes I forget that running is hard. Not only that, but it's easy to forget that training for a marathon is difficult, too. Yeah, okay, I should know better; however, I still catch myself thinking that crossing the finish line in November is guaranteed. In distance running, the miles demand respect. With less than four months away from race day, I need to embrace the doubt dancing around in my thoughts (that I've been ignoring) because I need that doubt to motivate me to keep training hard.
I consider myself a very self motivated person. Most of you know that I didn't tell my mom when I entered the NYC Marathon lottery because I didn't think she would approve of my decision to do it and I didn't want to hear her bitch about my bad life choices. Well, when I told her I won the lottery into the race, she left me feeling judged and underestimated. Ever since my DNF (did not finish) at the Disney Marathon in 2013, in her eyes my running ability is tainted because of Crohn's even though I finished the Dopey Challenge strong the following year in 2014. Earlier this week my mom complimented me on how hard I've been training and offered to buy me a Garmin watch to help track my stats. She verbally recognized that this race is a big deal and also offered to buy a picture package if they offer one for professional course race pictures because she knows how much this race means to me. I'm overwhelmed and shocked by her sudden support. In fact, it made me cry. You know, no pressure or anything, but I really don't want to fuck up crossing the finish line. Strangely enough, I want to make her proud. Here's to getting back on track one mile at a time.
Now, I find myself behind on training. I'm bummed about it because I've been working so hard to stay on track and one run just completely put me off my target mileage. I'm scheduled to run 14 miles this Saturday, but I know realistically that's not going to happen. Technically, my longest run this season has been 10.5 miles, so 14 miles would be too big of a jump. My new goal for Saturday is to run 12 miles. I seem to be hitting the proverbial wall at mile 9 or 10. I have to dig deep and keep pushing myself in order to reach my goals.
Sometimes I forget that running is hard. Not only that, but it's easy to forget that training for a marathon is difficult, too. Yeah, okay, I should know better; however, I still catch myself thinking that crossing the finish line in November is guaranteed. In distance running, the miles demand respect. With less than four months away from race day, I need to embrace the doubt dancing around in my thoughts (that I've been ignoring) because I need that doubt to motivate me to keep training hard.
I consider myself a very self motivated person. Most of you know that I didn't tell my mom when I entered the NYC Marathon lottery because I didn't think she would approve of my decision to do it and I didn't want to hear her bitch about my bad life choices. Well, when I told her I won the lottery into the race, she left me feeling judged and underestimated. Ever since my DNF (did not finish) at the Disney Marathon in 2013, in her eyes my running ability is tainted because of Crohn's even though I finished the Dopey Challenge strong the following year in 2014. Earlier this week my mom complimented me on how hard I've been training and offered to buy me a Garmin watch to help track my stats. She verbally recognized that this race is a big deal and also offered to buy a picture package if they offer one for professional course race pictures because she knows how much this race means to me. I'm overwhelmed and shocked by her sudden support. In fact, it made me cry. You know, no pressure or anything, but I really don't want to fuck up crossing the finish line. Strangely enough, I want to make her proud. Here's to getting back on track one mile at a time.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
One Run Does Not Define the Season
This morning's run was really difficult. It was already in the 80's when we started at 5:15am. It was super humid and sticky (95% humidity). Sweat was just sitting on my skin and not evaporating to help cool me down. My pace group is 10:30 - 11:30 minutes per mile; however, on long runs they say we're 11:00 - 11:30 minutes per mile and suggest that we should slow down further to adjust to the hot weather. Well, this is MarathonFest and apparently MarathonFest is always in badass beast mode because when they say we should slow down, we don't or we run faster. During my 10 miles this morning, I was wondering why it felt challenging to keep up with my group. At the end, I found out that we were maintaining a 10:38 per mile pace! Clearly, that's on the fast end of our pace group. Furthermore, the 10:38 pace includes walk breaks and water stops, so we must have really been booking it when we were actually running. Nonetheless, I survived another "long" run even though I didn't finish as strongly as I would have liked to. One run does not define the season. I'm sure there will be more difficult runs along my journey to the finish line in NYC. After all, the reason I'm training is to make race day easier. If it wasn't for my group, I would have quit at mile six. I should embrace difficult runs and be proud of the fact that I got out there and ran 10 miles today. I'm stronger for it!
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Confession
I have a confession: I do not remember the last time I felt this well. This could possibly be the best I've felt in over a decade. I have so much energy that I don't know what to do with it. I've had no pain. My bowels are functioning better than I ever thought was possible. At the doctor on Friday, I weighed in at 151 pounds! I feel like a normal person, strong and healthy. Is this how you people feel all the time? It's wonderful!
My life is amazing at this moment in time. Training for the NYC Marathon is going spectacularly well! I've found a pace group that challenges me just enough to keep me wondering if I can keep up. Since I managed to stay with them for 10.5 miles on Saturday, I'd say I can keep up even if it is out of my comfort zone at times. My supervisor put in a request for me to get a raise and my employer is paying for me to become CRIS (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certified. It's a total of 6 classes and I just registered for the first class this week. The class is online and I can work at my own pace.
My life is amazing at this moment in time. Training for the NYC Marathon is going spectacularly well! I've found a pace group that challenges me just enough to keep me wondering if I can keep up. Since I managed to stay with them for 10.5 miles on Saturday, I'd say I can keep up even if it is out of my comfort zone at times. My supervisor put in a request for me to get a raise and my employer is paying for me to become CRIS (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certified. It's a total of 6 classes and I just registered for the first class this week. The class is online and I can work at my own pace.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Crazy Loves Company
I feel like I should warn you in advance. In the next five months, it is extremely likely I will be littering my blog with posts about running as my marathon training kicks into full gear!
I did the Echo Half Marathon on Sunday. I had a 10 mile run planned on my schedule, so I decided I might as well register for a half. I stayed with the 2:30 pacer for the first 9 miles, and averaged an 11:27 pace per mile for those 9 miles. I slowed down on the 10th mile and after I passed the 10th mile marker, I walked most of the last 5k. My official finish time was 2:46:01. I can't complain considering I slowed way down on the last 3.1 miles of the race because I wasn't fully trained for the entire half marathon. I'm excited to start MarathonFest this week! They will host group runs on Tuesdays for speed work, Thursdays for hills, and Saturdays for long runs. You might be wondering why I paid for training when I'm already able to do a half marathon before the training begins. Well, running long runs solo is boring and I tend to doubt myself rather than finish strong. I really want accountability to stay on track and I want to be challenged in ways I wouldn't likely challenge myself. It would also be a bonus if I meet other runners going to NYC.
I'm hopeful to meet new running friends. Plus, I'm excited to challenge myself on group runs by pushing my pace out of my comfort zone. I can't wait for the gym I joined to finally open so that I can get to work on getting in the best shape of my life by November.
On Thursday, I'm going out to lunch with my previous supervisor in Payroll. We were never into small talk so it should be an interesting outing. As far as I know she hasn't filled the position I left yet. I really want to ask her questions about FMLA, but I don't know if I'll find the courage to because it might involve talking about Crohn's. I still struggle to discuss Crohn's with people I don't consider friends. It just seems too personal. We will definitely talk about running. I know she's been running four days a week. I'm going to see if I can talk her into running a 10K. If she bites on the 10K, I'm going to try to convince her to run a half marathon. You know crazy loves company and if she's already running four days a week, she might as well be training for something.
I did the Echo Half Marathon on Sunday. I had a 10 mile run planned on my schedule, so I decided I might as well register for a half. I stayed with the 2:30 pacer for the first 9 miles, and averaged an 11:27 pace per mile for those 9 miles. I slowed down on the 10th mile and after I passed the 10th mile marker, I walked most of the last 5k. My official finish time was 2:46:01. I can't complain considering I slowed way down on the last 3.1 miles of the race because I wasn't fully trained for the entire half marathon. I'm excited to start MarathonFest this week! They will host group runs on Tuesdays for speed work, Thursdays for hills, and Saturdays for long runs. You might be wondering why I paid for training when I'm already able to do a half marathon before the training begins. Well, running long runs solo is boring and I tend to doubt myself rather than finish strong. I really want accountability to stay on track and I want to be challenged in ways I wouldn't likely challenge myself. It would also be a bonus if I meet other runners going to NYC.
I'm hopeful to meet new running friends. Plus, I'm excited to challenge myself on group runs by pushing my pace out of my comfort zone. I can't wait for the gym I joined to finally open so that I can get to work on getting in the best shape of my life by November.
On Thursday, I'm going out to lunch with my previous supervisor in Payroll. We were never into small talk so it should be an interesting outing. As far as I know she hasn't filled the position I left yet. I really want to ask her questions about FMLA, but I don't know if I'll find the courage to because it might involve talking about Crohn's. I still struggle to discuss Crohn's with people I don't consider friends. It just seems too personal. We will definitely talk about running. I know she's been running four days a week. I'm going to see if I can talk her into running a 10K. If she bites on the 10K, I'm going to try to convince her to run a half marathon. You know crazy loves company and if she's already running four days a week, she might as well be training for something.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
I Did the Unthinkable... I Joined a Gym
So, MarathonFest starts in two weeks. I really want to make their morning runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I would be rushed to make it back home, shower, and leave for work on time. My mom had the idea of joining a gym that's located on my way to work and use their showers instead so that I won't be as rushed to get ready after my runs. First, I was thinking of Planet Fitness because they're cheap. Then, I was talking while walking the mall with my cube neighbor, Ashleigh, on our lunch break and she was telling me about the the Athletic Apex Health Club that will be opening in the mall soon. She's already joined and took me to their info area so that I could learn more about it. Not only do they have private showers, they also have shampoo, soup, conditioner, and a towel service. They have an aroma therapy room where they host yoga and Pilates. They have another room for Zuma and other class and yet another room for spin classes. They have tons of work out equipment and even an outdoor workout area for their version of crossfit.
Even though I was just looking for a gym for showers, I ended up convincing myself that I could benefit from cross training for the marathon, so I registered. I decided to pay annually rather than monthly and locked in my lifetime guaranteed rate that averages about $20 per month. There's no contract, so I can cancel anytime I want and they will refund based on the pro rata share of my annual membership status (months used in annual membership). Athletic Apex is scheduled to open next month. Hopefully it opens in time for my MarathonFest showering needs. If it doesn't, I might just have to rush to get ready until it opens. I'm excited to start strength training and cross training. Maybe I'm working toward getting into the best shape of my life for the NYC marathon. Although I've been in some pretty wicked awesome shape in my life, so it'll take a lot of work to get there. I might even do some classes with Ashleigh before and/or after work.
Even though I was just looking for a gym for showers, I ended up convincing myself that I could benefit from cross training for the marathon, so I registered. I decided to pay annually rather than monthly and locked in my lifetime guaranteed rate that averages about $20 per month. There's no contract, so I can cancel anytime I want and they will refund based on the pro rata share of my annual membership status (months used in annual membership). Athletic Apex is scheduled to open next month. Hopefully it opens in time for my MarathonFest showering needs. If it doesn't, I might just have to rush to get ready until it opens. I'm excited to start strength training and cross training. Maybe I'm working toward getting into the best shape of my life for the NYC marathon. Although I've been in some pretty wicked awesome shape in my life, so it'll take a lot of work to get there. I might even do some classes with Ashleigh before and/or after work.
Monday, May 9, 2016
A Faster Gear
It's been a busy week.
Last Monday, I had dinner with my old friend, Brittany. She's not that old, our friendship dates back to the good ole days of childhood though. It's always great catching up and getting her perspective on this thing called life. Britt, is one of my biggest motivators and supporters and her gentle advice helped to pull me out of my last depression. I love you, Britt!
Last Tuesday, I received my first Remicade infusion, so I worked late throughout the week to make up lost time so that I wouldn't have to use vacation time. After working a few nine hour days last week, I wondered how I survived 12 hour work days when I worked at Mazda. I only managed to get in one four mile run during the week, but I kicked ass and averaged an 11:07 minute per mile pace. That's about the pace I was running before my surgery! Hell yeah!
Friday night, my friend, Veronica, from Texas arrived around 11pm. Normally, I would be fast asleep at that time. Especially, considering I planned to wake up at 6:15am to start my 6 mile run before the sun had a chance to heat things up. I didn't go to bed until around 1am, but I didn't let lack of sleep be an excuse to push back my 6 mile training run. When I started my 6 mile run, I felt my body kick into a faster gear. After two miles, my sister, Kim, joined me on rollerblades to keep me company. I told her I may have went out too fast in the beginning and I might start slowing down, but I was able to maintain that faster gear until mile 5 when I slowed down only to find the faster gear again for mile 6. I ran 6 miles in one hour and five minutes! My average pace was 10:51 minutes per mile. I didn't take any walk breaks and every other mile I took a quick 10-15 second break to hydrate. It felt amazing! In fact, I'm still on a runner's high from it. How the heck do I get faster the farther I run?
I went to the MarathonFest info session at Track Shack to learn more about the training program. I was able to talk one on one with the program director. I showed her my split times for my six mile run and she told me that would place me in the 4:30-4:45 pace group, which is a 9:45-11:00 minutes per mile. I didn't realize I was that fast. I registered for MarathonFest. It starts the beginning of June and I'm hoping I'll be able to train to finish NYC in less than 5 hours. PR, here I come!
I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with Veronica, her mom, my sisters, and my mom. I made breakfast for everyone on Mother's day, which is a huge feat for me. I wanted to quit, but I managed to finish the pancakes and bacon. We also went to Sak comedy for Mother's Day. It takes a lot out of me to be that social for that lengh of time. It's been fun to visit with them; however, I am in dire need for a long nap.
Next time, I'll blog about work gossip. (this is my reminder)
Last Monday, I had dinner with my old friend, Brittany. She's not that old, our friendship dates back to the good ole days of childhood though. It's always great catching up and getting her perspective on this thing called life. Britt, is one of my biggest motivators and supporters and her gentle advice helped to pull me out of my last depression. I love you, Britt!
Last Tuesday, I received my first Remicade infusion, so I worked late throughout the week to make up lost time so that I wouldn't have to use vacation time. After working a few nine hour days last week, I wondered how I survived 12 hour work days when I worked at Mazda. I only managed to get in one four mile run during the week, but I kicked ass and averaged an 11:07 minute per mile pace. That's about the pace I was running before my surgery! Hell yeah!
Friday night, my friend, Veronica, from Texas arrived around 11pm. Normally, I would be fast asleep at that time. Especially, considering I planned to wake up at 6:15am to start my 6 mile run before the sun had a chance to heat things up. I didn't go to bed until around 1am, but I didn't let lack of sleep be an excuse to push back my 6 mile training run. When I started my 6 mile run, I felt my body kick into a faster gear. After two miles, my sister, Kim, joined me on rollerblades to keep me company. I told her I may have went out too fast in the beginning and I might start slowing down, but I was able to maintain that faster gear until mile 5 when I slowed down only to find the faster gear again for mile 6. I ran 6 miles in one hour and five minutes! My average pace was 10:51 minutes per mile. I didn't take any walk breaks and every other mile I took a quick 10-15 second break to hydrate. It felt amazing! In fact, I'm still on a runner's high from it. How the heck do I get faster the farther I run?
I went to the MarathonFest info session at Track Shack to learn more about the training program. I was able to talk one on one with the program director. I showed her my split times for my six mile run and she told me that would place me in the 4:30-4:45 pace group, which is a 9:45-11:00 minutes per mile. I didn't realize I was that fast. I registered for MarathonFest. It starts the beginning of June and I'm hoping I'll be able to train to finish NYC in less than 5 hours. PR, here I come!
I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with Veronica, her mom, my sisters, and my mom. I made breakfast for everyone on Mother's day, which is a huge feat for me. I wanted to quit, but I managed to finish the pancakes and bacon. We also went to Sak comedy for Mother's Day. It takes a lot out of me to be that social for that lengh of time. It's been fun to visit with them; however, I am in dire need for a long nap.
Next time, I'll blog about work gossip. (this is my reminder)
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Another New Chapter Begins
On Tuesday, May 3rd I will get my first Remicade infusion. I've spoken with three different patients or someone related to the patient with Crohn's disease that have taken Remicade, so I pretty much know what to expect. One patient was on Remicade for 5 years, one was on Remicade for 7 years, and one was only on Remicade for 3 weeks. Clearly, everyone's body takes a different period of time before building antibodies and rejecting the medication. At the very least, my wish is that Remicade will work for a minimum of eight months so that I can get through the NYC Marathon with very few issues. I'm not nervous, I'm just curious to see what kind of results and/or side effects I'll experience while on Remicade. I also had a great follow-up appointment with my colorectal on Friday. She cleared me to start running again. According to the surgery report I have "significant perianal Crohn's disease..." Usually the scale is moderate to severe, so I'm not sure where "significant" is located on the scale.
I'm seriously considering joining the running group MarathonFest. In fact, I plan to attend an information session this Saturday to learn more about the program to make sure it will fit my training needs. I've even convinced a running friend to come to the info session with me to see if we will be interested in the same pace group within MarathonFest. If we decide to sign up, group runs start the beginning of June. Since I'm training for the NYC Marathon, the first run on the schedule is a 10 miler. Even though I'm a little intimidated by that, I already had a 10 miler scheduled that same weekend anyway on the schedule I made for myself. I'm going to challenge myself in the month of May to work on maintaining speed as I increase mileage so that I'll be able to get into the pace group I want, 11:30 - 12:45, which would give me between a 5:10 - 5:30 marathon time. I know I can maintain that pace for 4 miles, but I'll have to work hard to be able to maintain that pace for 10 miles. Oh, by the way, if I can maintain that pace on race day, I will PR!!! I think I owe it to myself to get a good support system that will encourage me along this journey. Plus, I'm hoping to meet other local runners that will be going to the NYC Marathon. At least I have a month to improve my time.
I'm seriously considering joining the running group MarathonFest. In fact, I plan to attend an information session this Saturday to learn more about the program to make sure it will fit my training needs. I've even convinced a running friend to come to the info session with me to see if we will be interested in the same pace group within MarathonFest. If we decide to sign up, group runs start the beginning of June. Since I'm training for the NYC Marathon, the first run on the schedule is a 10 miler. Even though I'm a little intimidated by that, I already had a 10 miler scheduled that same weekend anyway on the schedule I made for myself. I'm going to challenge myself in the month of May to work on maintaining speed as I increase mileage so that I'll be able to get into the pace group I want, 11:30 - 12:45, which would give me between a 5:10 - 5:30 marathon time. I know I can maintain that pace for 4 miles, but I'll have to work hard to be able to maintain that pace for 10 miles. Oh, by the way, if I can maintain that pace on race day, I will PR!!! I think I owe it to myself to get a good support system that will encourage me along this journey. Plus, I'm hoping to meet other local runners that will be going to the NYC Marathon. At least I have a month to improve my time.
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