Wednesday, what?

It's Wednesday night and I'm sitting on the couch watching the news under a blanket with the Christmas tree glowing in the corner.  It's getting colder outside (43 degrees now).  Normally I'd be snuggling in, slowly sinking to a more horizontal position.  Normally I'd go on to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy (shh don't judge) and then whatever else I could find.  And then, normally, I'd go to bed.

But not anymore.  Nope.  It's Wednesday night.  I just ate the tiniest dinner I could come up with (just to be safe), and put on my workout clothes.  In half an hour we'll leave for a coached run at the high school track.  It's dark, it's cold, and I'm nice and comfy under this cable knit blanket...but what can a girl do? It's not raining.  I'm not sore.  I never caught the cold I was fighting for weeks.  It's time for a run.  And yes, I dread running.  Yes, still.  Yes, I know that running is 1/3 of a triathlon and I signed up for it.  The good news is, it's not that bad.  I don't like running, but when I'm out there with the team (I'm distracted by chit chat), and I'm on the track (nostalgia kicks in), the time goes fast and it's over before I know it.

And the other good news is, tomorrow we swim!

Oh Lucy...

Yesterday I went to my first team bike practice. It stopped raining just long enough for us to get our ride in, and I didn't fall down! Lucy is taking good care of me....

Out on the road, out on the road I go

Saturday was a good day. We woke up at 7 (yes, 7) to go to run practice at Pioneer Park. We had such a fun time and I was able to mostly run (occasionally walk) for the full hour in the woods! I love being away from the city, especially in the forest -- the smell of the leaves on the ground and the mud squishing under my shoes...love.

After practice (and after coffee), Kyle and I went to Montlake Bike to go shopping! I test road several road bikes (despite my fear of being tilted forward and my face being entirely too close to the ground)and found one that I felt comfortable on (and she's kinda pretty!) I am lucky to have the best husband ever who bought me my bike and even a matching helmet (he must've intuitively known about my fear of my head being entirely too close to the ground). I've named my bike Lucy. Pictures coming soon! But for now I'm off to swimming lessons...I mean practice :)

Goin', goin', back to, back to....

The track at Roosevelt High school is completely unlit. At first it was hard to see my own hand in front of my face, let alone find our team. Some other team was practicing there too...they were really fast, really runners, slightly intimidating. But that's the thing about Team in Training...no matter how intimidated I feel at any practice, within a few minutes I'm comfortable and having fun. Our first track practice on Wednesday was a blast! It took me straight back to my high school track days -- conditioning, strides, concentrating on form...Oh how I miss sprinting!! It was easy to find someone (actually two someones)who are the same pace as me and we settled in comfortably, chatting all the way, for our half hour run. We also did the agility ladder and lots of strides and core work. I know how silly it sounds to say this stuff was fun, but it was! And honestly, I can't remember the last time I ran for 30 minutes without stopping. So far so good!

It's been a long time, glad to see your face!

Hi friends,

I know it's been a long time since I've posted here.  It's been a long time since I was in the mindset to.  To be perfectly honest, there hasn't been much running (or working out of any kind) going on around here.  I've reverted to the days of the purple face and gasping breath whenever I go for a run (which isn't very often because when I do, it just plain sucks!).  I've gained about 15 pounds.  And really I have no explanations or excuses that are even worth sharing.  But I do have news that IS worth sharing.

As many of you probably know, Kyle and I have signed up for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Lavaman Triathlon team!!  I've been talking about doing a triathlon for years and am soooo excited to finally be doing it.  Lavaman is in Kona at the end of March, and the money we raise will go directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help cure blood cancers and improve patient quality of life.

So I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, why now? About six months ago my uncle, Dave, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Follicular Lymphoma.  He's gone through chemo and is now doing really well...but I don't want to worry.  I want him to stay healthy and strong.  Leukemia and Lymphoma Society can help that happen.

You can follow along on this journey here on the blog.  Please consider donating!!  http://pages.teamintraining.org/wa/lavatri13/hnielseh9c

And just for fun...a little incentive!

Donate $25 and get a shout out on the blog and Facebook
Donate $50 get the above and we'll send you a postcard from Kona
Donate $100 get the above and a Team In Training coffee mug (because we LOVE coffee!)
Donate $250 or more and get the above and we'll bring you a souvenir from Kona
Donate ANY amount and share the story of your personal connection with blood cancer and we'll dedicate part of our race and carry the name of your "In Honor Of" or "In Memory Of" person with us on race day

A fun little Q&A

What do you miss most about being a child?

We used to live in the woods in a house that had a barn. We’d play there and in the trees for hours. And at nap time, while mom was watching Days of our Lives and folding laundry we’d play “school” on the stairs with the blocks our dad made us. When he came home he’d smell like cedar and his beard would tickle our heads when he kissed us. At night we’d all climb into bed with every single stuffed animal we owned and Mom would read to us from “chapter books”…Bridge to Terabithia, the Chronicles of Narnia, Anne of Green Gables…

What’s on your bedside table?

Four novels of which I’m in the middle of ALL of (for the record, two are total fluff and the other two are pretty heavy), a hot pink water bottle (probably the only hot pink thing I own!), a tiny jewelry box that Kyle’s mom brought me from Italy that holds all my most precious jewelry, a mirror my dad made me, my 1/2 marathon medals, my phone charger, Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion, green sticky notes and a pen (for those middle of the night have-to-jot-it-down-or-it-will-keep-me-awake-all-night thoughts).

When was the last time you were giddy with happiness, lost in one of those can’t-hold-back-a-smile kinda moments?

I was sitting in the passenger seat with the door open. Kyle was kneeling in a puddle in the rain asking me to be his wife. I can’t even describe the giddiness in that moment.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 6 months?

I’m getting married!!!!!! To my most amazing, supportive, affectionate, adorable, loving, silly Kyle. July 16th! After 7 years! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What’s your hell like?

I’m freezing cold but can’t find a blanket anywhere and there are jumping spiders all around me. I’m all by myself and there is no music. All there is to eat is blue cheese and raw onions and there is no coffee. All the chairs are hard and too small for my butt. I have to wear high heels all the time. I never get to sleep but there is nothing to do while I’m awake. There is no time so it goes on like this forever.

What’s your heaven like?

I can snap my fingers and travel anywhere in the world and all I have to do to take someone with me is hold their hand. I travel all the time, but always sleep in my own bed (which feels like the bed I slept in at that hotel in Palm Springs). There is clean ocean to swim in, clean air to breathe, and clean land to explore. I have a dog and plenty of land for her to run on. My friends and family are all nearby. There is live music all the time and art and culture. My friends and I stay up late into the night having meaningful conversations, drinking wine, and eating amazing food and never have a hangover or gain a pound. There is no time so it goes on like this forever.

What’s the biggest lesson you’re taking away from the past 6 months with Stratejoy? (Or in my case, the last 3 weeks of exploring the Stratejoy blogs and working on my Joy Plan)

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I don’t have to settle for anything. Period.

What song lyrics fit your life, right now, at the beginning of this brand new year?

"Be here now
No other place to be
All the doubts that linger
Just set them free
And let good things happen
And let the future come
Into each moment
Like a rising sun"
-Mason Jennings "Be Here Now"

If you had a time machine, what place and time would you travel to and why?

Hmm…I know it is kind of weird, but I’ve never really dreamt of time travel. I guess I might like to go back to when my grandfather was coherent. I’d ask him to tell me about his life and just listen.

That and I’d maybe go see the Beatles in concert.

What is something not a lot of people know about you that you wish more people could know?

For the most part I think show a pretty honest self to the people around me. I do wish more people knew that I’m creative. In my every day life I don’t give myself the opportunity to use my creativity as much as I should. I wish more people knew how obsessed I am with colors and words and designs.

What surprised you most about 2010?

Hmm…that I actually finished a half marathon! (Two actually.) The last time I really ran was in high school and I was a sprinter. It took me months to work up to 2 miles and I actually completed 13.1 without keeling over and dying! I felt very empowered and stronger than I’ve ever felt before. Who knew my little self could do something that big?

What’s the best present you’ve ever received?

I’ve gotten lots of great gifts in my life…but I can’t put my finger on just one. How lame is that? I can tell you what my best present WOULD be…well between two anyway: a vacation with my family to somewhere we’ve never been or a dog. Yep. Those would be the best. :)

Imagine your life was being made into a movie. What would the title be? Who would you pick to play you? What would the theme song be? How about the little trailer blurb for the advertisement?

Natalie Portman is swinging on a tire swing overlooking the ocean. Her hair is blowing in the wind and she closes her eyes and smiles. “The old adage is true: no matter where you go… There you are. Join Hannah on her trip around the world, and into herself.” Mason Jennings, Bright Eyes, Gomez, Ray Lamontagne, Counting Crows and Rilo Kiley make up the soundtrack.

Dream job? Dream home? Dream vacation?

Dream job: I travel for a month at a time photographing women and learning about their strengths and power. When I’m home I write and edit photos and share those women’s stories with the world. One or two evenings a week I lead empowerment groups for young women. I have created an online resource encouraging women to create and live in a sisterhood, building one another up rather than tearing each other down. (I also get lots of vacation time :))

Dream home: I live on a lake and have some land. The house has an open floor plan and lots of natural light. It is warm and inviting. I have my own office/studio with a whole wall of bookshelves full of books I’ve read. There’s a big deck where I can host outdoor dinner parties.

Dream vacation: Anything near the ocean, with my guy. Sometimes my dream vacation is one where I lay by the water and don’t move a muscle except to get another book or margarita…sometimes I want to zipline and snowmobile and scuba dive…ask me when I can afford a vacation. :)

I’m pretty much obsessed with Stratejoy this month. I’m looking at my life in a whole new way and having so much fun! Take a look for yourself. Here’s Molly’s Q&A on the bloggity blog. I’d love to blog for her someday, but alas, I am aging too rapidly…30 in 28 days. Eek!

If this doesn’t inspire you…

This video was shared on the Vancouver Marathon Facebook page.  If it doesn’t make you want to get off your butt and go for a run, I don’t know what will.  Amazed by this guy!  Makes me want to do an Ironman someday too.  I wish I had my mom and sister by my side though!!! :)

REGISTERED!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! As of last night I am officially registered for the BMO Vancouver Marathon.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Marathon.

Shortly after my first half marathon I changed the title of this blog from “The Road to 26.2 Miles” to “Running is Hell: a tale of pain, oxygen deprivation, laughs, weight loss, and accomplishment.” I don’t know at what point my goal went from a full marathon to just a half being acceptable, but it was a long time ago! So long ago actually that I don’t really remember ever thinking I wanted to do a full one. The Run Like Hell solidified my decision that a half was enough. Until now.

It is the beginning of December in 2010. In 2 1/2 months I turn 30. It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I believe that I can do what I set my mind to. And it isn’t just believing I can do it IF I set my mind to it. It is also actually DECIDING to set my mind to it. This has been the big step that I couldn’t take. 13.1 miles is a HUGE accomplishment for anyone, but especially for someone who couldn’t run 1 mile 2 years ago. But I have learned that accomplishing one huge goal doesn’t mean you’re done and can just sit back and relax for the rest of your life. It means you’ve made a huge step towards your next big accomplishment, whatever that may be. It means I’ve run half of a marathon. Twice. I learned that my mind controls my body, not the other way around. I also learned that I am not weak. I am strong. Strong enough, I think, to run a marathon.

And so on tonight I will register for the Vancouver Marathon. May 1st, 2011 I will run 26.2 miles…a slightly delayed 30th birthday present to myself. I’m changing the title of my blog back.

I want you to remember this blog post. I want you (more me actually, but it couldn’t hurt to have you remember too) to remember how strong and determined I am at this moment…because I have a feeling that the next 21 weeks of blog posts are going to be full of whining and recaps of pain and torture. :)

ETA: I wrote this blog a few weeks ago, but wasn’t ready to post it yet. It accidently got published for like an hour so sorry to those of you who read it twice :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful for –37lbs! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Hope you thoroughly enjoyed your indulgences.  I know I did! :)  (Now, back on track…)

Accepting the Highs and Lows

When I realized it has been almost 2 years since I started this all I got kind of upset.  I’m still not at my goal weight.  In fact, my weight hasn’t budged in months…I guess I’ve been kind of lazy and I’ve been cheating on the food front as well, but still.  I get frustrated.  It is so difficult to maintain motivation ALL THE TIME.  I don’t think you should have to either.  I think it is reasonable to eat what you want sometimes, skip a workout now and then, or just have a lazy day when you need it.  With that said, it is the “sometimes”, “now and then”, and “when you need it” that are the key words there.  Everything in moderation is key…I guess if I can remember that, try my best to keep my focus, use my motivators (friends, family, blogging, training, trying new things, looking back at how I used to be…) and also let go every now and then I can get to where I want to be.  I really want to hit my goal weight so that my focus is not losing weight, but living a balanced and healthy lifestyle…

So I except the highs and lows and appreciate the process of learning myself and what my body and mind need to get to where I want to be.  I am renewing my commitment to myself to live a life I’m proud of in a body I’ve worked hard to keep healthy, and with a positive self image despite temporary setbacks.

Update

Okay, I’ve been slogging (slacking + blogging).  I’ve started several posts, gotten lazy or busy, and left them just sitting there in unpublished blogland.  So I figured I might as well squish them all together into this one post (along with my race report).  I bet you just can’t wait……….

Monday 10/18

Oh crap, oh crap, oh crappity crap crap crap! And what the hell too.  In 6 days I will be running the Run Like Hell 1/2 marathon…and I am soooooo not ready!  I have skipped virtually all of my long runs…in fact, the longest I’ve run since the LAST half (at the end of June) was 6 miles! Yikes!  I’d start training now out of sheer fear, but I know it would only make things worse…so I’ll wait…and tough it out…and hope that I survive race day.  I’m thinking more “run IN hell” and less “run LIKE hell”………………

Wednesday 10/19

Did I mention I’m running a half marathon on Sunday?  What am I, an idiot?!  Who signs up to torture themselves for 13.1 miles and then doesn’t train at all?  Sometimes I question both my sanity and my intelligence.  It’s gonna be a loooong race………………

Friday 10/21

Leaving for Portland in a few hours…I have packed up my magic beans, running clothes, dork belt, water bottle, and post-race warm cozy clothes.  Kyle’s mom was nice enough to pick up our race packets (with bibs and t-shirts and timing chips).  I guess I’m ready…well as ready as I can be.  Mostly I’m looking forward to being done with it.  I wish I would’ve trained more. I’m a little disappointed in myself, but at this point all I can do is the best I can, right?  My expectations are low, so hopefully I will do better than I think. :)

Sunday 10/24 – RACE DAY! (Why do they call it race day when you’re only trying to finish? :))

I hardly slept at all last night.  It was raining so hard it kept waking me up.  We weren’t in our own bed.  I was afraid we wouldn’t wake up in time.  Oh, and I was trying all day Friday and Saturday to get myself hydrated so I woke up three extra times because of that…needless to say 6am came way too early!  We woke up, got dressed, made PB&Js, ate them quickly, and headed out.  Traffic and parking were super easy.  Finding the starting line was super easy.  We gave up on the porta-potty lines they were so long (luckily I didn’t need them after all that night peeing!)  We got in line to start with 13 minutes left until the gun went off.  Time went relatively quickly.  People watching is fun!  Especially people watching when about one in every 10 or so people is dressed like an Alice in Wonderland character (the theme of the race)!  A few were dressed as other random things too…Edwards Scissorhands started near me.  How the heck was she going to run in full pants, suspenders, long sleeved button up shirt, wig, and knife/fork/scissor gloves?!?!  She looked dang good though!

Anyway, the gun (or horn) went off and we waited a few more minutes for the people in front of us to go before we started running.  Kyle wished me good luck and we exchanged “I love you”s and off he went (that boy is quite a bit faster than me when he wants to be!!)  The first couple of miles went slowly but steadily. I fell into a good pack of ladies (and two couples) who seemed to be about my pace.  (Edward Scissorhands was looking tired already!) Appreciated the lady who thanked all of the volunteers with a loud “THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!” between gasps. Chatted with one lady who slacked on her training like I did.  Lost her at the water station at mile 3.5…Starting here and for the rest of the race I followed this sorta round-ish lady in a BRIGHT yellow shirt and black vest.  She looked like a bumblebee, and there was no way I was going to let a bumblebee beat me across the finish line!  It was kind of lonely without Kyle.  Weird to know I had such a long way to go on my own.

It started REALLY raining just after the 3.5 mile water station.  Like really raining.  Like monsoon raining.  And the wind!!!  I was drenched in about 2 minutes, but only on my front half.  Woo! I was running fast enough to not get my back wet!  I think the race photographer got a nice shot of me wringing out my shirt, but we’ll just have to wait until the photos come out to see.  About 5 minutes into the rain the hill started.  The rain kept up for awhile…the hill kept up for FREAKING EVER!!!  It was uphill (big hill) from mile 4ish to mile 10.  It just kept on going up…and it was curvy, so every time I couldn’t see around a corner I’d think, “This HAS to be the end of this hill!” but the curves and the hills just kept on going (Insert joke about women and curves and hills that just keep going here.)  I thought of Kyle and wondered if he had thought of me and how much I hate hills during this part of his race.

I saw the sign for mile 8 and was feeling exhausted, but good that I was quite a bit over halfway done…but mile 8 dragged on FOREVER…and I lost my bumblebee pacer.  I felt like I ran for years before I saw the next sign looming in the distance.  It took a long time until I was close enough to read it…but when I could… “Mile 10.”  Mile 10!  MILE 10!!!!!!!!  I actually grinned.  In the middle of a half marathon, I smiled.  This really was a big step in Hannah-running-land!  And I swear this is the moment the sun came out.  And then, even better, I saw my buzzing little-ish bumblebee friend flying around in front of me.  A-ha!  Motivation!  So THIS is what it feels like to push yourself!  I was excited to be doing it ON MY OWN.  I’ve never been great at positive self talk or pushing through pain.  I’m more of a “that hurts just a teeny bit.  I’d better stop or it will hurt a lot” kind of person.   This was new territory for me. 

Starting at that mile 10 sign most of the rest of the race was downhill (literally).  I was cruising and make up a lot of time from all that uphill rainy-ness.  I passed every single person I had been running with at the beginning.  I passed the lady who slacked on her training, the lady who thanked all the volunteers, and the two couples…I got right up on the heels of the bumblebee and stuck there.  The mile 11 sign came up pretty quickly.  A cute little girl who was 10 or 12 years old was standing halfway between miles 11 and 12 “ONLY A MILE AND A HALF TO GO!!!!! YOU’RE ALMOST THERE!!!! IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE!!!!”  She was the only person I heard cheering the entire race up to this point.  She rocked. 

Mile 12 rolled in slowly, but still faster than expected.  My legs turned to jello somewhere around 12.5 miles.  My pants were still soaked from all that rain and they were clinging to my legs which were numb from the cold and all that down hill.  I think if I had misstepped at all I would’ve tumbled to the ground and never moved again.  Luckily the road wasn’t very bumpy.  I passed the bumblebee and hung in tight with a 40 year old lady in a hot pink tank top!  I saw the mile 13 sign and almost cried.  I was going to do this.  On my own.  Without anyone’s help (or without anyone knowingly helping me anyway :)).  I rounded the corner by the mile 13 sign and saw the finish line.  It was closer than I expected.  (Much closer than the .1 felt during our last half!)   I pushed harder, but I don’t think I went any faster.  I heard Kyle and his parents yelling and then I saw them.  And then I finished.  I finished in the exact same time as the Rock ‘n Roll.  But I also finished with the hill and the rain and no running buddy.  I did it!  I’m still excited. :) 

Before you ask, yes there will be another.  I didn’t make it in my goal time of 2:30, and I intend to do that someday.  I also intend to run a full marathon someday, but someday might be a little further off than I had originally planned for that goal.  I need to actually do every (or almost every) training run for a half marathon before I venture into a full.  It is, however, funny how addictive this particular form of torture is.  :)

I promise Kyle isn't really that color. Weird lighting going on in there! :-P

Aaaaand we’re off!

Biggest Loser Kick Off was tonight and went great!  Three of us met at my house for a giant salad and some goal setting.  We weighed and measured ourselves and made some very pretty charts listing our goals and ready to show our progress.  My goals for our 15 week Biggest Loser Challenge are:

1. Lose 24.5lbs (try to average 1.5lbs a week)

2. Workout 11 of every 14 days

3. Eat less than 1700 calories daily

4. Do one race a month (Sept – Brew Haha 5k, Oct – Run Like Hell 1/2 Marathon, Nov – Turkey Trot?, Dec – 12Ks of Christmas, Jan – ??)

5. Try one new activity a month

The more places I write these goals, the more people I tell them to, and the more people listen, the more people I am accountable to.  If you see me, ask me where I’m at! Every little bit of motivation helps!

Biggest Loser 2010 Kick Off!

The new season of Biggest Loser started last week (woo hoo!) and watching that show never fails to get me motivated again.  Just sent an email to some local girlfriends (I wish the long distance girlfriends could join…any ideas??) getting our OWN Biggest Loser going.  We’re going to meet on Tuesday nights for a healthy dinner and to weigh and measure and keep each other accountable.  The first meeting will also include setting some personal goals (and rewards for when we achieve them).  I’d like to find one time a week that we can all workout together, but it might be too much to organize.  We’ll see.  Anyway, I’m super excited and really hope some of the girls decide to join me this Tuesday.  If you’re reading this and you’re local (or you’re not local but you have an idea how to make it work) and you want to join us let me know.  I’m trying to keep it small so we can all fit in our house, but I don’t want anyone who has the motivation and is willing to commit to our little group to miss out! :)  Will update on Tuesday and let you know how it went.

Warrior Princesses!!!

So to me the “Runner’s High” is still a mythical beast…felt only by those who are mythical themselves or have taken some sort of (likely illegal) mythical-ness enhancer.  With that said, this weekend was the Warrior Dash.  I would have to say that it was the closest I’ve ever come to a runner’s high. 

We did the race as a team, in tutus.  Our team (from left to right) Leigh, Anna, my sister Katie, Meghan, myself, and Molly.  Something about doing something as a team gives me a little umph.  So much fun to be lined up at the starting line with my girls in our obnoxious outfits and big old grins on our faces.  (And yes, We attempted to skip across the starting line…)

The race was so much fun that I didn’t feel the affects of the workout at all…maybe that’s what runner’s high feels like?

The Warrior Dash (Northwest) is a 6k race that begins with fire shooting out of the starting line (over head) and ends with a slide through the mud.  The initial run is downhill, through a stream, then straight up hill in your sloshy shoes for what feels like forever.  The first obstacle is a trudge through waist deep water that includings “hopping” over giant floating logs.  Not a graceful or cute accomplishment, but fun and squishy nonetheless. 

The next obstacles consist of a giant pile of hay bales you scramble over (and pose on top and flex your muscles in your tutu if you’re me! :)), followed by a giant ladder like thingy (pose + flex), cargo nets - both vertical (pose + flex) and horizontal (hope the person behind you isn’t looking up your tutu), a not-so-steep repelling wall, and some squishy ankle deep mud. 

Then you get to be Godzilla and jump and climb over a bunch of old rusty cars (yes, of course, do I even need to say it? Pose + flex…a few times…on a few cars!)  This is followed by some more uphill running, a pitch black tunnel (in which our glow-in-the-dark color coordinated bracelets came in handy!)………and then the good stuff…

FIRE!  Two lines of fire high enough to make you worry for the safety of your womanly areas greet you with a grin.  The woman next to us near the starting line said, “When we see six big poofs of smoke we’ll know the tutu girls have made it to the fire jumping!”…With that lovely thought in mind, we were sure to take OFF our tutus and leap over the fire with our warrior cries loud and our tutus in our hands over our heads. 

Jump through some tires like a football player, and you’re on to the best part…MUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!!!!!!!!! Slide down on your butt, crawl under the barbed wire on your hands and knees (the mud only goes almost up to your elbows. :)), then take a long slippery slide to the finish line. 

BEST RACE EVER!!!!!!!!!!

Our tutus weighed no less than 40 pounds when we were done.  They definitely had to come off.  So we trudged around in our muddy leggings and sexy homemade t-shirts until we headed off to the campground.  What a fantastic weekend!! :)

Signing up for next year already!!! 

www.warriordash.com

Shake that Caboose

I have just been reminded by my old friend, Courtney of the wonderfulness of the word caboose.  And in being reminded of that wonderfulness, I’ve also been reminded that my formerly huge, more recently formerly small butt is now turning rapidly back into a caboose!  The last lazy month has been just that…and action must be taken immediately before I swirl back down into the toilet of Oreos, burgers, and ice cream…mmm ice cream!!!  Working on decorating the newly modified, severely condensed version of my 1/2 marathon training plan.  Run Like Hell Portland is in exactly 41 days and I don’t think I can drag my heavier, wider caboose the same distance I could barely drag my lighter skinnier tush!!

Now what?!

So I’ve let my hip do its thing for quite some time now…basically since the 1/2 I’ve been pretty lazy.  Part of it was letting my hip heal…and part of it was just being tired and not wanting to run in the heat, etc. etc. etc…I’m good at excuses. :)  Anyway, we’re officially 1 month and 24 days away from the Run Like Hell 1/2 Marathon in Portland.  Kyle and I signed up over a month ago and have done nothing to prove we actually mean it that we intend to run. So today is step 1 towards being able to run 13.1 miles again.  I don’t know why I do this to myself.  I don’t think I like to run.  Oh well.  Wish me luck. :)  Here’s hoping my hip stays in one piece. 

Motivation: Take 11.

So the half is over. Now what? I really want to do a triathlon in September, but I have no bike.  I re-enrolled at LA Fitness and have taken one spin class and swam once.  I’m looking for a cheap bike to get me through one triathlon.  If I like it I’ll buy a better bike…That’s a start I suppose.  I also signed up for another half in October in Portland.  I think I’m in denial about that one.  Really since the Rock ‘n’ Roll I’ve had NO motivation.  So here’s the question.  How do you motivate yourself on a daily basis when you don’t have a giant goal you’re working towards?  How do you keep yourself focused when your goal is so far out?  How do you push through your low moments when there’s no one there to help push you?  My past solutions included…

Getting on the scale -  Yeah…No.  That motivates me straight into depression and eating an entire package of Double Stuff Oreos. 

Making a new training plan – Usually this one works pretty well for me.  I’m such a “list-er” that making a calendar and scheduling stuff out really floats my boat.  But for some reason this time it’s not working.

Talking about working out/eating right/etc. with friends who are working on the same thing – So one of my best friends just finished a marathon.  Seattle is FULL of people who are ridiculously in shape and beautiful.  Lately talking to friends about this stuff just makes me feel like I’m slacking.

So this is a real question I’m posing to the few of you who read this.  How do YOU motivate?!

It’s Official!

I’m all signed up for the Run Like Hell 1/2 Marathon in Portland…October 24th.  When I signed up for the Rock ‘n’ Roll I told myself I would probably never run another one after that one.  When I was getting up at 4:30am on the day of the race I told myself I would never run another one.  When I was at mile 10 I told myself I was insane and I would definitely never run another one.  When I was at mile 13 I told myself that this was officially the dumbest idea I’d ever had and I would never EVER EVER do another one.  Even at the finish line when I was drinking my free beer and inhaling a free granola bar I told myself that it hurt too much and was a bad idea and that I would never do another one…3 hours later I was thinking, “Well, it was kinda fun…” and now just a week and a half later, I’m all signed up for my next one.  Do two half marathons equal a full one? What the heck am I thinking?!  Kyle and I are both running this one, but are running it separately.  Anyone have any suggestions for good audio books?  I will have to keep myself distracted somehow!  I now know from experience, 13.1 miles is a really long ass way!!!!!!!!!!

Lately…

Lately I’ve been thinking that if I could combine photography, writing, and consulting people in nutrition and fitness (with training of course so I’d know what I was talking about) I would have my perfect job…suggestions anyone???

It’s a miracle…

…that I don’t walk around in circles all day!  I met a personal trainer/massage therapist the other day at a party and talked to her a little bit about my hip.  She poked me in one spot and asked if it hurt. “Yep.”  Poked me in another spot and asked if it hurt. “Yep.” Poked both hips at the same time, made me sit on the floor and let my legs flop to the sides, “Well, your right leg is about 1/2 an inch longer than the other.”  Interesting. I read more about it when I got home and it turns out my gluteus medius is getting trigger points…little spots that hurt a lot…because of my long leg my pelvis tilts when I run and puts unnecessary pressure on my hip. It also screws up the alignment of that whole side of my body.  I need to go to a chiropractor.  I need to strengthen my ab/lower back muscles to reduce my pelvic tilt. I need to stretch and apply heat to my trigger points. I need to go to a sports medicine doctor and confirm this diagnosis as she made sure to say “This isn’t a diagnosis. Just an informed guess.”  Anyway, like I said, it’s a miracle I don’t walk around in circles all day.  Kyle keeps joking that if I go to the doctor they’ll just pull on my other leg. :-P

Well, while I’m tootin’ my own horn…

I just realized that this year I have…

1. gotten engaged
2. lost 42 pounds (well since last April)
3. started a business
4. completed a half marathon

And it’s only June! I can’t wait to see what the 2nd half of the year will bring!!! Toot, toot!

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ran my first 1/2 marathon.  Race day……  

Pre-race goes like this:

Wake up at 4:40am. Stuff a banana and a piece of toast with peanut butter in my face. Put on my gear. Put on my shoes. Make Kyle take a picture of me even though my eyes aren’t open yet. Drive to Qwest Field. Find a miraculously free parking spot under the viaduct. Walk 1/2 a mile to the shuttle. Wait an hour to get on a bus. Watch mass chaos ensue as the giant line to the bus turns into a blob. Get pulled onto the bus by Kyle while others tried to cram in the door. Ride the bus to Tukwila. Walk to the giant bank of porta-potties. Wait in line for 20 minutes to pee. Walk another 1/2 mile to corral 28. Run into Terry and Lilli at corral 23.  Hear the national anthem. Hear the start of the race at 7am. Wait in corral 28 next to the annoying lady who talks way too loud until 8. 

The Start:

8am…Finally our corral  makes it to the front of the pack.  I can feel a little buzz of excitement coming over our corral.  We can see the guy we’ve been listening to over the speakers for the last hour.  (He was actually kind of funny…”Marathoners, just think, at mile 14 all those half marathoners will already be eating your food.”)  We can see the starting line.  We can see 13.1 miles ahead of us.  He checks his watch, checks with his timer girl, and gives us the send off “Are you ready, corral 28?!?! (WOOOOO! Cheering and general craziness.) On your marks, get set, *hooooonk*” (that’s one of those horn thingies going off).  The people way in front off us start running and we wait a few more minutes before there’s space in front of us to move our feet.  Then we’re off.  We walk until we actually touch the starting line.  I start my watch, and we’re doing it.  We’re running our first half marathon. 

Miles 1-9:

I feel really good. Strong, confident, no soreness in my hip, entertained by the crowd around me, comfortable in the outfit I’ve chosen, excited to see the bands playing at every mile.  We know the first band, Massy Ferguson, and it’s fun to hear them play…even if only for a few seconds as we run by.  There are lots of long hills.  They aren’t steep but they seem to go on forever.  I laugh at the porta-potty line at mile marker 1.  Already?  Mile 2 takes us over i-5. Cars honk at us and make us feel cool.  I drink some Cytomax at mile 3 and am weirded out by how sticky my feet are from running by the Cytomax table.  I stick to water the rest of the way.  Miraculously, I have mastered drinking while running and don’t spill all over myself, not even once!  The bands are interesting, but I don’t spend enough time next to them to really enjoy them.  The cheerleaders are kind of annoying, “Keep it up. Keep it up. Just run up that road.” Uhh, what do you think I’m doing?  A guy in his pajamas standing in his driveway makes me laugh “Get out of here! Get out of my driveway! I’m trying to go to the mall!”  The porta-potty lines are getting longer at each mile marker and we decide we’d better go.  We make a very quick pit stop at mile 5.  I feel great until mile 6…I feel the familiar twinge in my hip and am immediately disappointed.  I try not to let it get to me and the miles creep by.  I see a bald eagle. I see a lady, probably in her late 60s, talking on her cell phone while she runs. I can’t keep up with her.  I watch a couple in front of us. She obviously is in better shape than him. She keeps asking if he is okay. He keeps pretending he is.  I see Kyle a half step ahead of me.  He feels great.  I feel a little annoyed with my hip and that I’m half a step behind him.  We eat some magic beans. We get water at just about every water station. I grab two cups. I drink one, and pour the other on my hands (which for some reason are a bajillion degrees).  I push through the hip pain and am able to basically ignore it.  I am surprised when Kyle tells me mile 9 is right around the corner.  I don’t feel like we’ve gone that far.  Nine miles is the furthest we made it in training, and that’s the day I first really felt the pain in my hip.  I am excited that every step after 9 miles is a step further than I’ve ever run before. 

Miles 9-13:

The first steps of mile 9 piss me off.  We go straight up a VERY steep hill, which is followed by a very long, very slight incline.  I think this 1/2 marathon thing is over-rated. Who’s idea was this anyway? Oh yeah, it was mine.  I think about my mantras. I have several.  “Only 45 more minutes. I can do anything for 45 minutes.”  “The training was the hard part. This is my victory lap.”  “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.” I think “This is my victory lap. This is my victory lap. This is my victory lap. It doesn’t hurt that bad. Push through it. You’re running a half marathon. Last year you couldn’t run a 1/2 mile. Look at that fat (sorry) couple in front of you. If they can do it, you can.”  Etc. Etc. Etc. I concentrate on what feels strong.  My heart and lungs are doing what they should.  I am not purple like I expected to be.  My muscles in my legs are working. I visualize my hip joint doing what it’s supposed to do…but it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do and my mental stamina is giving out.  I can only “Fake it til I make it” (another mantra) for so long.  I slow down a lot.  My hip is hurting. My feet are on fire.  Kyle is several steps ahead of me, but we promised to do this together, so I don’t tell him to go ahead without me…even though I want to.  I don’t consider quitting. I do want to walk.  We run through the I-90 tunnel where a roar of cheering starts a half a mile ahead and rolls over you like thunder inside your body. It’s a surreal experience. It’s dark in there and a band is playing. It’s stuffy and kind of hot, but it’s different. The tunnel is huge. Much bigger than it seems in a car.  I feel like part of something bigger than myself.  Somewhere in the tunnel we hit mile 10.  10 miles has been a long time goal for both of us.  10 miles is a long freaking way to run.  Miles 10 and 11 are my death miles…and by that I mean I want to die…I have to take some walk breaks to lengthen my hip joint and give it some (minimal) relief.  Kyle is frustrated, but doesn’t say as much.  I really really really want to run the whole thing, so these walk breaks are pretty disappointing.  Especially because everything is working except for my hip. Especially because we are only a 5k away from the finish line. Especially because my mind and the rest of my body are ready to go.  I kind of want to cry a little bit. Dear Hip, screw you.  We start running again. At mile 11.5 or so we see Anna, Ben and Scott standing on the corner cheering.  I think there are other people with them, but my eyes aren’t quite focusing at this point from the pain. Anna is screaming something unintelligible with a big goofy grin on her face.  Ben is taking pictures.  We get closer and Anna runs out on to the course with us and runs next to us for a few minutes.  She takes a few silly pictures which force me to smile when I do NOT feel like smiling.  It is good for me.  I need to smile. I need to remember this was my idea. I need to remember my mantras…I need to remember I can do anything for 20 more minutes! Only 20 more minutes!  And if I can pick up the pace a little bit it won’t even be that long.  We tell Anna that we’ll meet them by the beer garden at the finish line and we’re off.  I have to walk up and down the bigger hills.  They hurt my hip the most.  The 12 miles sign seems light  years away from the 11 mile one, but past that we’re heading towards Highway 99.  Once we’re on the viaduct, we are running again.  Our car is parked below us.  We’re ALMOST THERE!  We can hear the cheering of the crowd near the finish line.  I pick up my pace a tiny bit. At least I think I do. Maybe I just pick up my motivation a little bit.  I can’t remember any of my mantras. I just keep saying in my head “I’m running a 1/2 marathon. I’m running a 1/2 marathon……”

The Finish:

We can see the finish line, but it sure is far away.  The crowds line both sides of the course for about 1/2 mile leading up to it.  I feel a little claustrophobic and want everyone to shut up and let me run.  But they cheer anyway. Go figure.  Kyle is still 2 steps ahead of me, but he slows down a bit and I speed up a bit just as we’re getting to the end.  I reach for his hand, and as planned, we cross the finish line holding hands.  I click the stop button on my watch.  2:40:30…10 minutes and 30 seconds slower than I wanted to be…But, I’m done.  I am so proud of myself.  Even though it didn’t go as I planned, I still ran a 1/2 marathon.  We split a bagel, and I eat the best orange I’ve ever eaten and let the juice run down my arm.  I drink two bottles of water. Kyle practically has to carry me away from the giant pallet of bags of ice they’re using to keep the bottles of water cool.  My hip desperately wants to sit on it.  Ice please.  We find Anita who also just finished her first 1/2 marathon.  We hug and take pictures.  We find Anna and Ben and Scott. We hug too.  I’m too sweaty to be hugging people who aren’t sweaty too. I’m too tired to care.  We go to the beer garden and find Terry and Lilli.  We get our free beer.  I can’t drink mine. I eat Lilli’s granola bar instead.  Thanks Lilli!  Kyle drinks my beer. We walk to the car…very, very slowly.  That half mile felt shorter this morning.  We drive straight to Olive Garden and eat like we’ve never eaten in our lives.  We go home and promptly fall asleep on the floor.  We deserve it.  We just ran our first 1/2 marathon! 

After thoughts:

Immediately after the race (and in miles 10-12.5) I thought “I will never do this again, ever. This is the worst idea I’ve ever had.”  Now thinking back, I’d like to do it again when my hip is healthy.  I’d like to see if I can do better.  I don’t have ambitions to run a full one yet.  I don’t feel like I’ve done a half as successfully as I’d like yet.  I need to conquer this distance before moving on.  My hip still hurts 3 days later, so it may be a bit before I conquer anything.  Eventually though, I would like to be able to say I’ve run a full marathon.  I heard a guy talking at the Expo the day before the race with his friends.  His friend said, “Are you doing the race?” He said, “No way. I get sweaty just DRIVING 13.1 miles.”  I smile because it’s funny. I also smile because that was me just over a year ago.  I have found a side of myself I never knew was there.  I am a strong and confident woman, and I just ran a 1/2 marathon.

A common question

I just realized that this is the first race I’ve run that my mom hasn’t asked me an important (and common) question. “How long is this marathon?”  Contrary to popular belief, every race run is NOT a marathon!  A marathon is a specific distance.  This misconception cracks me up.  This half marathon is 13.1 miles.  Exactly half of a full marathon which is 26.2.  But she didn’t ask this time, so I think she’s got it all worked out…Just wanted to share a little question that makes me giggle every time I hear it.  (Sorry Mom.  Didn’t mean to make fun. :))

13 hours and counting

We just got back from the Health and Fitness Expo where we picked up our race packets…t-shirts, numbers, and a few little goodies.  We’ve got our magic beans (“Sports Beans”…basically jelly bellies with caffeine and carbs and electrolytes) and a little belt that is basically a mini-fanny pack.  We’re ready to geek it up and run in our dri-fit tees, timing chips attached to our shoes, sports watch (not the Garmin I really want, but a cute little Ironman that will do just fine)…the only thing I wanted and forgot to get was a visor which would have upped my geek factor by about 29%.  Oh well, I’ve prepared the best I can considering my injury.  I feel mentally ready.  I’m pretty worried about my hip holding up, but at this point I know it will be a mental battle.  And I’m ready for that.  Tomorrow morning we will leave the house at 5am after a piece of toast with peanut butter and a banana.  We’ll drive to Qwest Field and park there, take a shuttle to the starting line and wait for corral 28 to get the “On your marks, get set, GO!” command.  I imagine that moment will be slightly anti-climactic as our speed will be about that of a snail with a little caffeine in his system…but then we’ll be off.  13.1 miles ahead of us.  A ton of training behind us.  The FINISH LINE ahead of us.  I may never run again in my life after I meet this goal.  I’m kidding…I think.  :) 

3 days and counting…

So the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll 1/2 Marathon I’ve been training for for months is just 3 days away………I’m so nervous. My “hipitis” (as my sister calls it) is acting up again. I took almost a full month off of running to try to get it back to good (hence the lack of posts).  Yesterday I attempted a 7 mile run (my last long-ish run before the 1/2) and I ended up cutting the last mile out because it was starting to hurt.  I have never wanted to punch a wall in my life until I felt that twinge in my hip.  It is so so frustrating when your mind is working harder than your body to do something your body should be able to do on its own. 

I keep thinking I don’t care how I finish, as long as I finish running.  I don’t care about time. I don’t care about position. I don’t care if my face is red or purple or blue. I just want to finish this damn thing.  I’m sorry this post is boring. I am currenly sitting on an ice pack and the frozen booty is distracting me from what I’m writing.  Anyway, wish me luck.  I’m sure I’ll post more between now and Saturday.

BMI....

Woooooo! I just recalculated my BMI for the first time in ages and I am officially no longer "overweight". I am "healthy" body weight! Woot woot! Want to run so bad.........

Hip Hippy to the Hip Hip Hop

Ran a few miles today and I don't feel like my leg is tied around my head! My hip feels a little bit funny, but not like it did two weeks ago. I'm excited to get moving...but butt feels very large. This commercial reminds me of me this last couple of weeks.......

Can't wait for our next long run!

Laaaaazy Days!

I haven't really moved since Saturday. I'm starting to get antsy and I think my butt is hurting not from my sore hip, but from sitting in the same spot on the couch!! I really want to run (I never thought the day would come!) but I promised myself I'd wait a full week. My hip feels a lot better, but get little twinges when I run up the stairs or make any quick sideways movements...I know, Dad, "Well don't run up the stairs or make any quick sideways movements!" Hoping that my Monday run (or Sunday maybe?) will feel good and I can get back on training...only 6 more weeks until the big day!

Frack.

Saturday we ran 9 miles.  NINE miles.  No small feat.  At mile 2 my hip started bothering me.  Something about running clouds your judgment and causes you to make poor, poor decisions.  So at mile 2 my hip started bothering me and I thought, “Oh, it’s just tight. It’ll work itself out.”  By mile 4 I was running with a limp (not to mention very slowly), but I thought “Well, I’m almost halfway now.  If I turn around I have to go almost as far to get home as if I keep going.”  So I kept going.  By mile 6 I was running so lopsided I’m surprised I didn’t just go in a clockwise circle…my right leg was hardly moving!  But by then I had to keep going.  What else was I going to do?  Lay down and go to sleep?  So I pushed through.  Now it is Monday.  And I don’t get to run today (Did I really just say “GET” to run??!?!?).  And I don’t get to go to bootcamp tomorrow or run Weds/Thurs either.  In fact, I have to take the entire week off.  Thanks stupid self for “being strong”, “gutting it out”, “pushing through”…I mean, hell, “I can do anything for 42 more minutes! (and 38 and 27 and 12 and 3 and hey, there’s the car)”… I self-diagnosed on Google, and I’m 90% sure its hip bursitis…the only solution? Rest, ice, ibuprofin.  Darn it.  Luckily we still have 7 weeks until the 1/2 and that should be enough time to heal and get back to where I’m at as far as training…unfortunately, this week was supposed to be 10 miles…10 miles is a HUGE milestone that I’ve been looking forward to completing…I’ll still get the chance, but it’s awfully frustrating to feel motivated and have to stop (even temporarily) because of injury.  Stupid hip. I’m gonna go sit on some ice.